De Essenburgh Castle, the architectural history of the Dorpskerk and the landscape along the Hierdense Beek offer different ways to explore Hierden during a stay. Historic sites, information panels and routes through the rural landscape appeal to different interests. The information about the castle and church traces several stages of development; the stream and routes offer another way to experience the area, shaped by its landscape.

Castle and Dorpskerk: Different Timelines

De Essenburgh Castle dates from 1652 and was built by Johan Coolwagen. The main building houses a restaurant. Check in advance whether a visit is possible during your travel dates.

The Dorpskerk in Hierden grew out of a school founded in 1659 that also served as a place for evangelism. In 1741, the building was elevated to a church. The current building replaced the previous one in 1851. This makes it possible to distinguish the stages: first a school with a dual purpose, then its elevation to a church, and later the replacement of the earlier building.

By comparison, De Essenburgh is associated with a single construction date and the name of its builder; at the Dorpskerk, you can distinguish the founding of the school, its conversion and the replacement of the building over time. The Dorpskerk’s tower clock mechanism comes from the old town hall in Harderwijk, adding a distinct connection of origin to the building’s history.

Schietkamp and Historic Information Panels

Two information panels about Schietkamp Hierden stand on Ooster Mheenweg, next to the Barakken and Boerenstrandje. They highlight the history of the shooting range.

Information panels at the former German shooting range in Hierden include stories about pilots Tony Bethell and Ludwig Becker. The panels were unveiled in 2024.

The Hierdense Beek and the Landscape

The Hierdense Beek flows from the Uddelermeer and Bleeke Meer near Uddel for about 25 kilometres to the Veluwemeer near Hierden. The stream also forms an ecological corridor between the open area along the edge of the Randmeren and the Veluwe. Kingfishers, among other birds, are spotted around the Hierdense Beek. Its course places Hierden within a wider landscape that stretches from the lakes near Uddel to the Veluwemeer.

Routes with Different Points of Interest

The Veluwemeerkust-Hulshorst walk follows village streets and small paths between meadows, from the authentic farming village of Hierden to the forest near Hulshorst and back. In spring, the grasslands are rich in flowers. So if you want to focus on the flowering meadows, spring is the right time to plan this walk. The sequence of village, meadows and forest gives the route a clear landscape focus.

The Doortraproute Harderwijk passes through rural Hierden and the Veluwemeerkust nature area. In Hierden, you can also follow the orange-marked Beweegroute. The routes have different points of reference: the walk takes you through village, meadows and forest; the Doortraproute relates to rural Hierden and Veluwemeerkust, while the orange markings identify the Beweegroute.

Discover more destinations: Harderwijk.

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