Circular walks, a hedgerow landscape and local history give Alem several points of interest for a stay. If you’re looking for hotels in Alem, you can first decide whether the landscape and trails or the history of the churches and remembrance should be the deciding factor. The Alemschepad and the Maasheggen sit alongside local connections to Odrada and the war memorial.

Walking Trail and Hedgerow Landscape

The Alemschepad is a circular trail through a floodplain-ridge landscape on a peninsula between the Maas and the Waal. The Alem circular walk passes the Moleneind ferry landing and then follows the Veerweg dike. This provides specific landmarks to help plan the walk, in addition to its circular route. If you’re planning to take the ferry, check the timetable in advance.

Near Alem, the Maasheggen now form a rare protected area. Special plant and animal species find habitat in and around the hedgerows. This landscape offers two connected points of interest: the hedgerows themselves and their importance as a habitat. Visitors particularly interested in landscapes will find this a distinct focus alongside the circular walk.

Alem’s Island History

Since the Maas was canalized between 1932 and 1935, Alem has been located on an island and has belonged to the province of Gelderland.

Odrada and the Churches

According to local religious tradition, the Sint-Hubertuskerk stands on the site where Odrada was buried. In front of the church, a tableau depicts Odrada stopping a wild horse. There is also an information board at the church with historical information for visitors to the Klompenpad. These are distinct points of reference: the burial site belongs to local tradition, the tableau depicts a specific scene, and the board provides historical orientation for Klompenpad visitors.

The former Reformed church in Alem was also originally dedicated to Saint Odrada. Inside are six graves belonging to a family of brick manufacturers; the hardstone grave slabs date from between 1870 and 1930. The original dedication and the dated grave slabs therefore represent different aspects of the history of this church building.

Remembrance and New Year’s Eve

The war memorial in Alem is a brick-built commemorative column topped by a relief of Mary. It commemorates five residents who died as a result of acts of war during the occupation years. The form and purpose of the memorial go together: the column preserves the memory of these five people.

A parish publication from 2024 describes a drag hunt held in Alem on New Year’s Eve since 1975 as a re-enactment of a fox hunt, and names the Koninklijke Nederlandse Jagersvereniging as the organizer. If you’re planning a trip around the turn of the year, check the specific event dates in advance.

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