Along the Zwartewater, the route passes through a landscape of river floodplains, winding dikes and expansive views. Walks follow raised dikes on both sides of the river and its floodplains. From the paths, you can look out over the Mastenbroek polder and the peat meadows of Olde Maten. The birdlife also has its own annual rhythm: quail, cormorants and storks, among others, can be found along the Zwartewater; in winter, geese can be seen there, while in spring there are redshanks, black-tailed godwits and curlews.

Hasselt: Townscape, Windmills and Industrial History

Hasselt combines religious history with a remarkable historic townscape. The town is one of the Netherlands’ oldest pilgrimage sites and has more than 70 Rijksmonumenten—nationally recognised Dutch historic buildings. The historic town centre and its defensive belt were designated a protected townscape in 1982. Canals, quays and monumental buildings shape its distinctive character.

The late-Gothic Oude Stadhuis adds specific insights into the town’s history: visitors can see, among other things, a unique historic weapons collection, paintings and changing exhibitions. Guided tours are available by appointment. The Korenmolen De Zwaluw also tells the story of different technological eras. Built as a grain mill in 1857, it was part of a pilot project to generate electricity in the 1950s; at the time, it housed the first wind turbine in Overijssel.

The restored lime kilns offer another perspective on technological history. Here, shells were burned to make lime, which was used as a basic ingredient in mortar for construction and building restoration. The lime-burning works closed permanently in 1990, bringing an end to the last working shell-lime kiln in Western Europe. Today, the lime kilns are a unique industrial museum. Alongside its protected townscape, Hasselt offers a chance to trace the history of a craft that once produced building materials.

Museums in Genemuiden and Zwartsluis

The permanent exhibitions at the Tapijtmuseum in Genemuiden focus on a machine hall, the world of floor coverings, a glimpse inside a factory and a workshop. The history of the Genemuiden carpet industry spans production of rush and coir mats to today’s factory production of 700 kilometres of broadloom tufted carpet per week. The museum also showcases traditional techniques: weaving rushes, making coir mats, and weaving on wooden looms and old weaving machines.

In Zwartsluis, the Schoonewelle Museum voor Natuur en Ambacht has been housed in Sluuspoort since 2012. It contains rare natural history objects. Sluuspoort is also Zwartsluis’s central visitor centre; it is easy to reach, and free parking is available there. Each museum has its own focus: textile craft and factory history in Genemuiden, nature and crafts in Zwartsluis, and town and industrial history in Hasselt.

Waterways and Routes through the IJsseldelta

The region’s history also includes its relationship with water. The Oude Stoomgemaal Mastenbroek has been used to regulate water levels since 1856 and is considered one of the most interesting monuments of Dutch water-engineering technology. In the regional context of the IJsseldelta, cycling routes follow the dikes along the Zwartewater and explore the history of Mastenbroek. The Ons Erfgoed App lets you create individual walking or cycling routes that pass selected places of interest. Images, audio, augmented reality and 3D experiences complement the app and bring heritage to life as you travel.

There are several ways to explore the area by water: boat trips through Weerribben-Wieden National Park depart from Zwartsluis; you can rent a boat for such trips with Schipper. These places and topics can be discovered from different perspectives—on foot, by bicycle, in museums or from the water.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Zwartsluis, Hasselt, Genemuiden, Haaksbergen, Tubbergen, Hengelo, Oldenzaal, Hardenberg.

For the main travel overview: Overijssel.