Holiday apartment in Nijkerk: Arkemheen, water and culture

Nijkerk can be experienced through several distinctive aspects: Arkemheen as open polder country, Nijkerk aan het Water on the Randmeren lakes, the historic center, and paths through Landgoed Hoevelaken. There are also museums, theaters, church tours, and routes that connect the town, farmland, forest, and water.

Nature

Arkemheen, a Natura 2000 area, lies northwest of Nijkerk. It consists of open, low-lying polders along the Randmeren lakes, including the Nijkerkerpolder, and is an important area for meadow birds, breeding birds, and migratory birds. Wintering Eurasian wigeons, geese, and whooper swans find a habitat here; in spring, lapwings, black-tailed godwits, and redshanks join them.

A different landscape can be found at Landgoed Hoevelaken. The area can be explored on foot and by bicycle. The alternating dry and wet soils support a wide variety of plant species. The estate is home to protected grass snakes and several bat species, including Nathusius's pipistrelles, common pipistrelles, and serotine bats.

Culture

The Stoomgemaal Hertog Reijnout is part of the history of the polders. It operated from 1883 to 1983 to pump excess water out of the Arkemheen polder. The associated visitor center contains information about Arkemheen, its special natural features, and the role of water. It also has a permanent exhibition, treasure hunts, a photo wall, and opportunities to encounter animals typical of the polder.

The Grote- or St. Catharinakerk stands in Nijkerk's historic center as a defining Rijksmonument. It was built in 1461 and rebuilt after a town fire in 1540. The church offers guided tours with a climb of the tower, as well as organ concerts, including a summer concert series.

Museum Nijkerk offers exhibitions, an open storage collection, themed days, a library about Nijkerk, and walking tours through the historic center. The town walk from Museum Nijkerk takes around 90 minutes and can be done with or without a guide. The walking tours cover topics including the Breede Beek, Jewish history, and war memorials. In the center, Theater Streams Breede Beek presents both well-known artists and local talent. On walking routes to the public artworks in the municipality of Nijkerk, you can also read the accompanying poems by the town poet.

On the way

The Doortraproute Nijkerk starts at P+R Zuid near Nijkerk railway station. The 22 km route runs through Hell, Kruishaar, ’t Woud, Appel, and Slichtenhorst. Another cycling route takes around 1.5 to 2 hours and runs through Nijkerk along the water, the harbor, the Randmeer, important streams, and wells. A circular tour lasting around 1.5 hours net runs through Nijkerkerveen and along Appel, passing garden centers in the municipality of Nijkerk.

The surrounding area can also be explored on foot via various paths. The walk from Hoevelaken to Nijkerk passes through Landgoed Hoevelaken and along the Barneveldse Beek. The Appelpad is a Klompenpad through the municipality of Nijkerk's farmland, along unpaved paths and forgotten passages. The Laaksepad KIDS runs through the Hoevelakense Bos and combines nature activities with a nature artwork, a barefoot path, and the opportunity to observe waterfowl.

Water and getting there

Nijkerk aan het Water is located on the Randmeren lakes. There, visitors can rent a boat and travel toward Bunschoten-Spakenburg or Zeewolde. Nijkerk's center is easily accessible by both public transport and car. For maps and local information, the VVV information center in the Roodbeen bookshop offers cycling and hiking maps, a wide selection of Klompenpad maps, as well as free information and a town map for the center of Nijkerk.

Pay particular attention there to the exact location, the accommodation type, occupancy, included services, price components, and booking and cancellation conditions. The distinction between a holiday apartment and a holiday home should also be clear from the specific listing fields. Compare these details directly before making a choice.

More places and destinations: Nijkerk, Hoevelaken, Ubbergen, Winterswijk, Culemborg, Wijchen, Geldermalsen, Millingen Aan De Rijn

To the overview of the wider travel region: Gelderland.