Oegstgeest: Paths, Estates and History

Oegstgeest offers several specific starting points for planning a trip: historic buildings, estates and a range of hiking options. You can explore the town via its paths, distinguish between individual landscapes or focus on the history of the Groene Kerk. The landscape, ground conditions and route type each offer different clues about which excursion suits your plans.

Estates and hiking trails

The Oud-Poelgeest estate includes five listed monuments. Hiking trails pass forests, ponds and monumental buildings. Nature and architectural heritage thus shape the same route. A free, downloadable two-kilometre hike explores the Endegeest and Rhijngeest estates. The set distance and the two estates give you specific points of reference for planning your route.

Nature and trail conditions

Rhijngeest is an eight-hectare woodland park with a varied range of plants, trees and birds. In autumn, it is home to more than a hundred species of mushrooms. If observing nature is part of your trip, autumn is therefore a time when a specific seasonal feature comes into play. Trail conditions are also part of planning: the paths in the woodland park are unpaved and can get muddy after rain. By contrast, many paths on the Endegeest grounds are paved and easily accessible by wheelchair or pushchair. If these points matter to your plans, distinguish between Rhijngeest’s natural character and the many paved, easily accessible paths at Endegeest.

Routes in and around Oegstgeest

Oegstgeest offers several informative walking and cycling routes for residents and visitors. The Boerhaave cycling and walking route is available at Kasteel Oud-Poelgeest. The Oegstgeester Ommetjes comprise nine short circular walks in and around Oegstgeest. They are part of the Bollenstreek walking junction network; walking junctions can be used throughout the municipality. For your planning, the difference lies in the format: the Ommetjes are short circular walks, while the junctions can be used across the municipality. The Boerhaave route, in turn, is described as a cycling and walking route.

Church history and architecture

A small church stood on the site of today’s Groene Kerk in the 9th century. Today’s Groene Kerk is a single-nave cruciform church based on a 15th-century Gothic model. It was one of the first churches in the County of Holland. The site’s church history stretches from the 9th-century small church to today’s single-nave cruciform church based on a 15th-century Gothic model; the Groene Kerk is one of the first churches in the County of Holland. The chronological distinction is also important: the 9th-century small church should not be equated with today’s church; both belong to the history of the same site.

Another architectural topic is the buildings designed by H.J. Jesse. A selection of his buildings can be discovered in and around Oegstgeest. The Groene Kerk focuses on the history and architectural form of a particular church building, while Jesse’s work includes several designs by one architect. For your cultural itinerary, you can compare these perspectives: the history of one church or the architecture of several buildings.

For the broader travel overview: Oegstgeest.