Discover Ysselsteyn: Museum Route, History and Nature

Holiday apartment in Ysselsteyn amid history and landscape

Those exploring Ysselsteyn will discover a Peel landscape where wartime history, rural life and nature appeal to a range of interests. When looking for a holiday apartment in Ysselsteyn, this provides clear guidance: you can make culture, a route and nature experiences different focal points of your trip.

Memorial sites and traces of the war

To the west of Ysselsteyn, on the western bank of the Defensie or Peel Canal, stand several reinforced-concrete S-shaped pillboxes arranged at regular intervals. They were built in 1939–40 as part of the Peel-Raam Line. The Defensie or Peel Canal has cultural and historical value as evidence of the reinforcement and subsequent defence of the Netherlands during the Second World War.

Another defining site is the Ysselsteyn German War Cemetery. It was established in 1946 on behalf of the Dutch government and is accessible to wheelchair users. The visitor centre provides practical information; in the new multimedia exhibition, visitors can discover the stories behind the crosses. This makes it possible to combine a visit with a quieter, more in-depth exploration of the subject.

Museums showcasing rural history

Museum De Peelstreek has a collection of machines, equipment, tools and household items from earlier rural life. The museum also presents the history of the Peel, including peat extraction, land reclamation, transport routes, former borders and border issues, as well as the origins of Ysselsteyn in 1921.

For your visit, the seasonal opening hours are particularly important: Museum De Peelstreek is open from 1 April to 31 October and can be visited without an appointment on Saturdays from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. Visits at other times are possible by arrangement via email, telephone or message. Groups and individual visitors can receive guided tours from volunteers trained by the board. Primary school children have their own programme, including a treasure hunt in which they search for objects and answer questions about them.

The Ròwkoelehof houses an extensive collection of large agricultural machines and related items. Places like this also make Ysselsteyn interesting for visitors who want to learn about regional development not only through buildings, but also through work, technology and everyday life.

The Ysselsteyn Museum Route

The Ysselsteyn Museum Route leads to two museums in Ysselsteyn. The official starting point of the route is junction 31 at Peelken 2 in Ysselsteyn. On the way back to Lovinckplein, the Museum Route passes through the De Rouwkuilen nature reserve. If you are looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Ysselsteyn, you can use this connection as inspiration for a day combining cultural and scenic impressions.

De Rouwkuilen nature reserve

De Rouwkuilen is located nearby, to the north-east of Ysselsteyn. The 56-hectare protected natural monument comprises coniferous woodland and a fen. The distinctive landscape structure provides a contrast of its own to the museums and the historical traces along the canal.

Village history and regional traditions

The small Greek-cross church is also one of the town’s tangible historical features: it was built in 1927. After suffering war damage in 1944, the transept and choir were replaced by a new, rounded choir, completed in 1947 according to plans by A.T.J. Margry and P.W. Lerou. The history of the Peel also includes its former sheep farming tradition: historically, the sheep belonging to farmers from Venray and the surrounding villages stayed in the Peel from 19 March until the first Sunday in October.

For further regional orientation, you can also explore Blitterswijck, Oostrum, Geijsteren, Wanssum, Venray, Merselo, Smakt and Veulen.

For the overarching travel overview: Venray.