Oostkapelle: Dunes, Nature and Cultural Heritage

Oostkapelle brings together nature reserves, coastal scenery and places with a long architectural history. If you are looking for a destination for a stay, you can weigh up different points of interest: paths through De Manteling, other landscapes in the surrounding area, and historic country estates, a church and a castle. This lets you plan your trip around what interests you: nature outdoors, cultural history or a mix of both.

Nature between De Manteling and Oranjezon

The De Manteling nature reserve is located in Oostkapelle and covers about 740 hectares. High dunes, wet dune valleys and dry grassy dune landscapes define the area. Oostkapelle also has wide beaches and dunes. Nearby, between Oostkapelle and Vrouwenpolder, lies the Oranjezon coastal area. Its landscape includes beaches, high dunes, dune valleys, scrubland and woodland. The village and surrounding area therefore offer different natural settings, from Oostkapelle’s beaches and dunes to the woodland and scrubland found in Oranjezon.

Walking and cycling routes through De Manteling

For a walk, the 9.5-kilometre “Struinen door bos en duin” route passes through De Manteling. The “Fietsen door de Manteling en historisch Veere” cycling route is 39 kilometres long and partly follows winding paths through the nature reserve. The two options therefore differ both in their mode of travel and significantly in their distance. Check the current route conditions before setting out, as they may change.

Country estates and historic buildings

The historic Duinbeek country estate lies northwest of Oostkapelle’s built-up centre, at the edge of the dunes. It was first mentioned in a fief charter in 1350; the house that still stands today was built in the Classical style in 1715. The two dates mark different milestones: the earlier one refers to the estate’s first mention, and the later one to the construction of the surviving house.

Berkenbosch, also a historic country estate, lies west of Oostkapelle. Four rectangular ponds have been preserved there; together, they are described as a water feature that has become rare in the history of Dutch parks and country estates. At Berkenbosch, the focus is therefore on a surviving landscape feature, while Duinbeek can be understood through the early references to the estate and the construction date of its present house.

The Dorpskerk in Oostkapelle is a remnant of a 15th-century church that was altered in the 17th century. The dates indicate two building phases: the church’s origins and a later alteration. The tower can be climbed, and the gallery offers a view. The opportunity to climb the tower may depend on the season. So check before your visit whether it is available at the time of your trip.

The lower sections of some towers and remains of masonry survive from the medieval Kasteel Westhove. Terra Maris is housed in the castle’s former orangery. Its exhibitions explore the history of the Zeeland landscape and the diversity of its nature. The museum includes a 2.5-hectare landscape garden that depicts Zeeland’s different landscape types on a small scale. Kasteel Westhove thus brings together the surviving parts of the castle and Terra Maris’s themes of landscape and nature.

Discover more destinations: Meliskerke, Domburg, Serooskerke, Koudekerke, Westkapelle, Aagtekerke, Grijpskerke, Zoutelande

For the main travel overview: Veere.