One of the distinctive features of the gardens at Landgoed de Wiersse is a 75-metre-long beech avenue. Ponds, streams and flowerbeds shape the 16-hectare grounds. The historic country estate is located in Vorden in the Achterhoek; its romantic landscape gardens have been cared for by the same family since 1678. In 2026, you can visit the gardens on set days from May to September, as well as on 18 October. Check the visiting arrangements before you travel.

Landgoed Hackfort also brings together garden and mill history: the estate includes the historic kitchen garden Hof van Hackfort. There is also a watermill around 300 years old, where grain can still be milled using traditional methods. Together, the two places reveal different sides of Bronckhorst’s cultural heritage—from a working garden to historic milling technology.

Walk between country estates, woodland and water

Bronckhorst offers walks of varying lengths. At De Wildenborch, a park woodland of more than 30 hectares is freely accessible to walkers. Pinetum de Belten, on the grounds of Landgoed de Belten in Vorden, brings together around 900 different species and varieties of conifers. At Molenkolk, meanwhile, landscape and natural history meet: this water-rich area is a remnant of an IJssel meander and a habitat for many fish and birds.

The municipality has more than 400 kilometres of marked walking trails. One specific longer route is the 16-kilometre Hackfort Route. It starts at the forecourt or car park at Hackfort, or at Vorden station. The station is served by train and by Arriva buses on the route between Zutphen and Winterswijk. The Kasteelroute Hackfort is considerably shorter at 1.5 kilometres and is suitable for wheelchair users. The difference in length is clear, helping you choose a route to match the distance you want to cover.

Cycling routes also offer plenty of variety in their surfaces and scenery. They follow paved sandy tracks and brick roads, pass farms, cross broad meadows and cool forests, and run alongside the winding IJssel. Around 80 kilometres of cycling routes link the Tegelwanderwege and, wherever possible, pass through other villages and neighbourhoods in Bronckhorst. Visitors can get walking and cycling routes, along with other tourist information, at five tourist information points in the municipality.

Explore history

Since 2007, Museum Smedekinck in Zelhem has housed a permanent exhibition in a restored farmhouse with barns. Temporary exhibitions and themed days explore Zelhem’s origins and how its people lived over the centuries. The Smedekinckpaadjes bring history and the Coulissenland landscape to life on walks; families can also take on an escape route. The museum thus offers different ways to discover local history, from exhibitions and puzzles to getting out into the landscape.

At Kasteel Vorden, visitors can explore authentically furnished rooms, secret passages, towers, vaulted cellars and gardens. In Bronkhorst, Kapel Bronkhorst commemorates its founders, Gijsbrecht van Bronckhorst and Catharina van Leefdael; it is first mentioned in a document dated 1344. The Bronkhorstermolen is a post mill dating from 1844. Check the mill’s operating and visiting arrangements before your visit.

The monuments also show how many historical themes come together in the municipality: Bronkhorst is said to have 38 national heritage monuments and 16 municipal monuments. The municipality of Bronckhorst has 800 monuments in total, as well as castles and country estates. Those interested in religious art can find around 600 saint statues at the Heiligenbeeldenmuseum. The museum is dedicated to preserving and presenting Roman Catholic heritage. Kunstgemaal offers a different focus, with contemporary art and design and changing exhibitions.

In Toldijk, the Achterhoeks Planetarium features a spherical planetarium with 2,844 stars from the northern and southern skies. Advance registration is required; check visitor arrangements before you travel. A view of the starry sky thus complements the municipality’s historical and landscape discoveries.

Puzzles, local produce and excursions

The GeoTour Bronckhorst comprises 45 unique caches and combines walking and cycling with puzzles and stories. The children’s nature trail ’t Hertenpad features a barefoot path, obstacles and climbing activities. Both experiences combine movement with a challenge along the way, but each has a different focus: one centres on searching for caches, while the other invites you to explore a nature trail.

For a break with a local touch, farm shops sell fresh produce directly from the countryside. Boomgaardterras De Grote Wei has a terrace overlooking the orchards, as well as coffee, homemade apple pie, apple juice and cider. The cider is made from fruit grown in its own orchard. Seasonal opening hours may vary, so check visiting times in advance.

Seven comfortable sloops are available to hire on the Oude IJssel. No boating licence is required, and you’ll receive instructions before setting off. Check the rental arrangements before your excursion. The range of options—from mills and museums to trails, gardens and waterways—gives you room to discover Bronckhorst according to your interests.

Discover more destinations: Halle, Hengelo, Hummelo, Keijenborg, Zelhem, Olburgen, Vorden, Bronckhorst, Baak, Steenderen, Wichmond, Toldijk.

For the regional travel overview: Gelderland.