Beesd offers a historical focus, visible along a protected village street and at distinctive churches. The trails and landscape features on Heerlijkheid Mariënwaerdt offer a different focus for outdoor activities. You can therefore tailor your time to your interests in village history, architecture or outdoor routes.

Village History and Churches

Voorstraat is about 900 metres long, designated as a protected village scene and lined with pollarded lime trees. This gives the street a distinct historical character, without requiring you to link several individual sights into a route. De Vrijheid also offers an unusual glimpse into the village’s history: a compulsory mill, under the authority of Mariënweerd Abbey near Beesd, already stood at the mill site in the 14th century. The exact year the present mill was built is unknown; it probably dates from the 18th century.

The churches offer a chance to compare different architectural styles. Sint Pieterskerk is a brick hall church with white-rendered façades. Its imposing late Gothic tower is protected as a separate monument. Heilige Kruisverheffingkerk, by contrast, is a three-aisled Gothic Revival hall church with a partly integrated tower. It is one of the early works of architect Alfred Tepe (1840–1920). During a restoration in the early 2000s, some of the Gothic Revival interior was reinstated.

Trails and Activities on Heerlijkheid Mariënwaerdt

You can cycle, hike or mountain bike on Heerlijkheid Mariënwaerdt year-round. The stated distances and landscape features can help you compare the routes: the 5-kilometre Kloosterroute passes country houses, monumental farmhouses, hay barns and flood-resistant barns. The 9-kilometre Leidschehoevepad runs through a landscape of old dykes, standard fruit trees and a historic estate. The 12-kilometre Kooiroute starts at De Stapelbakker. These route lengths give you an indication of the distance, while their descriptions also distinguish them by the landscapes and buildings they bring into view.

For mountain biking, the Mariënwaerdt MTB Trail consists of two connected routes and a junior route. The red Mariënwaerdt Hoog route runs for about 12 kilometres between the railway line and the River Linge. Its approximate length and the description of its location between these two landmarks help distinguish it from the shorter routes suited to other interests.

Landscape, Food and Events

The heart of the historic estate includes parkland, a kitchen garden and an entrance avenue. Meadows flank the grounds, which are crossed by two perpendicular avenues. A distinctive row of trees stands along Notenlaan: more than 200 walnut trees were planted there in a double row in 1928. The famous Appeldijk is also defined by its location on the dyke; standard fruit trees line its slopes.

For a meal in Beesd, Restaurant De Stapelbakker serves pancakes made with organic ingredients. On Heerlijkheid Mariënwaerdt, the Landgoedwinkel sells organic estate products, including vegetable jellies and jams from the kitchen garden, chutneys, curd, estate cheeses and estate juices. The selection also includes Lakenvelder beef, homemade apple pie and walnut tarts made using Baroness Van Verschuer’s recipe.

During the annual Landgoedfair, guided tours about the history of Heerlijkheid Mariënwaerdt are offered. Check the event dates before your trip. The Enspijkse Veer is a tourist ferry for pedestrians and bicycles between the village of Enspijk and Heerlijkheid Mariënwaerdt; check before travelling whether its seasonal service fits your plans.

Discover more destinations: Geldermalsen, Meteren, Deil.

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