One of the most distinctive stories in Olst-Wijhe is the IJssel Line: a monumental Cold War defensive structure that is being opened to the public for educational and recreational purposes. There are also historic churches, country estates and routes through natural areas. The result is a range that spans visible military history and river and cultural landscapes.
Buildings and their layers of history
You can explore the IJssel Line on a self-guided walk past various structures. It starts at the Hospitaalbunker in Olst and continues to a concrete-encased Firefly Sherman tank. The route thus links a major defensive structure with specific buildings to discover along the way.
The Dorpskerk Olst also tells a story of several eras. It dates from the second half of the 13th century and is a single-nave Gothic building. Late Gothic wall paintings survive in the choir vaults; the church and its tower have been listed as Rijksmonuments since 1971. At Kasteel De Haere, two other dates mark different stages in its history: it was first mentioned in 1329, and the present Havezate was built in 1559. Landgoed De Haere lies along the IJsseldijk between Olst and Deventer. The Landgoederen cycling route also starts and ends at Kasteel De Haere.
Landgoed Hoenlo covers 145 hectares used for agriculture, woodland and nature. The estate is open to visitors, but the park and house are not accessible. Another trail leads to Groot Hoenlo: it was there that Harry Mulisch wrote the novel “The Discovery of Heaven.”
Art, mills and country estates
Kasteel het Nijenhuis is one of the best-preserved manor houses in Overijssel. Visitors can explore the castle, café, sculpture garden and terrace. The garden features 100 works from the collections of Museum de Fundatie, Museum Beelden aan Zee and the Province of Overijssel. Architecture and art collections thus come together here.
Bökkers Mölle combines three functions: a mill, bakery and brasserie. If you are interested in local culture and food, this combination offers a different perspective on the municipality’s attractions than its historic houses and churches.
Natural areas and routes along the IJssel
In the Duursche Waarden, nature can develop largely on its own as part of a nature reserve. A boot trail runs between the birdwatching hide and the observation tower. On a walk there, you may be lucky enough to see Scottish Highland cattle and Shetland ponies up close. Around the Fortmond brickworks, the area is freely accessible Struinnatuur—nature to roam freely.
The Kozakkenveer, a foot and bicycle ferry, is located on Fortmonderweg in the nature area near the brickworks. It can only be used on foot or by bicycle. The Infocentrum IJssel Den Nul has a permanent exhibition about water management, cultural history, and the flora and fauna along the IJssel. This lets you combine nature experiences with topics relating to the river and its surroundings.
The municipality also offers diverse landscapes for cycling, including stretches along the IJssel, ferry crossings, floodplains and twelve village centres. The Hazepad story cycling route passes through forests and natural areas, past meadows, farms and country estates, and along the IJssel.
For walking routes, you can choose from different distances. Olst station is listed as the starting point for the 24.8-kilometre Olst-Wijhe walking route; you can also join at any walking junction of your choice. The shorter route from Olst to Wijhe is about 11 kilometres long. From Wijhe, you can take the train back to Olst—a practical alternative if you prefer a shorter walk.
Discover more destinations: Olst, Wijhe, Welsum, Wesepe, Raalte, Hengelo, Enschede and Ommen.
For the overview of the wider region: Overijssel.
