Holiday apartment in Gaanderen: Nature trails and history

Gaanderen is a place where nature trails, water, and history lie closely side by side. The “Ganderpad” leads through Gaanderen’s varied landscape, along the Oude IJssel and beside streams, across river dunes, and past traces of the former iron industry. Anyone considering a holiday apartment in Gaanderen can plan their stay around these diverse impressions.

Holiday apartment in Gaanderen: Trails for different excursions

Gaanderen railway station at Hoofdstraat 26 is a starting point for the “Ganderpad”. The trail combines river landscapes, streams, river dunes, and historical traces into a varied hiking experience.

The “Gaanderommetje” is a 7-kilometre hiking route that leads from ’t Onland towards Gaanderen and returns via a major detour. Fields and meadows alternate with woodland; the route mostly follows hidden forest paths and surfaced farm tracks.

One section of the “Gaanderommetje” runs along the Bielheimerbeek. There, you can observe water birds, aquatic plants, and other life in and around the water. The approximately 2-kilometre “Rondje de Pol” hiking route starts and ends at De Pol. The different route lengths give you a clear choice between a shorter circular walk and a more extensive hike.

Natural area between streams, marshes, and river dunes

The approximately five-hectare Akkermansbeek nature park lies in the vicinity of Gaanderen and Terborg. The historical landscape largely consisted of marshes and hills surrounded by a river and streams. Individual peaks of the river dunes rose 20 to 25 metres above the surrounding area.

Gaanderen’s local history along short routes

The village of Gaanderen only developed around the Martinuskerk on Kerkstraat in the second half of the 19th century. Bethlehem Monastery was established in 1179 near Gaanderen, between Kerkstraat and Kloosterlaan, and was completely destroyed in 1579 during the Eighty Years’ War.

The “Rondom Klooster Bethlehem” route reveals the remains of the old system of ditches around the former monastery and runs parallel to the Bielheimerbeek for part of the way. The iron industry is also part of the locality’s history: The presence of bog iron ore in the soil encouraged its local development. The oldest iron foundry in the Netherlands was established along the Bielheimerbeek in 1689.

An information board at the intersection of Watertapweg–Hogeweg–Binnenweg marks the former location of the Gaanderense korenmolen. It shows a topographical map of the situation in 1905 and an aerial photograph from 2015. The Herman van Velzen memorial plaque stands at the corner of Watertapweg and Frans Roesstraat, near the place where his birth farm once stood.

The Vulcaansoord memorial plaque was given its permanent location on Slakweg in 1996, approximately at the edge of the outermost development of the former factory site. In Gaanderen, you will therefore encounter both traces in the landscape and specific places of remembrance.

Tradition and community spaces

The St. Martinus Gaanderen Schuttersgilde has traditionally organised Gaanderen’s fair for many years; it takes place on the second weekend of September. The De Pol sports and cultural centre in Gaanderen is suitable for numerous sports and cultural events.

As an additional local idea, you can include Doetinchem in your further travel planning.

To the higher-level travel overview: Doetinchem.