Holiday apartment in Hengstdijk: Nature, Trails and Culture

Hengstdijk between water, meadows and paths

Hengstdijk combines a watery landscape, open meadows and paths with distinctive traces of the village’s history. Recreatiecentrum De Vogel is located on the inland lake of the De Groot Vogel nature reserve. The De Vogel nature area near Hengstdijk is home to many waterbirds, thanks to its special location. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Hengstdijk, this mix offers various options for planning your days: nature observation, exercise and culture can be considered as different focal points, without limiting the area to just one type of holiday.

Meadows and waterbirds near Hengstdijk

De Putting near Hengstdijk is a low-lying meadow area and one of the few genuine old-land areas that Zeeland still possesses. Grote Putting consists of numerous small meadow plots separated by winding ditches and drainage channels. In summer, Grote Putting is used by meadow birds such as lapwings, black-tailed godwits and avocets. In winter, large groups of barnacle geese, greylag geese and Canada geese visit Grote Putting.

The area also has distinctive botanical and landscape-historical features. In 1983, creeping marshwort (Apium repens) was rediscovered in the Netherlands at De Vogel for the first time in a long period. De Vogelkreek is one of the oldest creeks in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen. This gives you a nature theme that goes beyond simply looking at the water and includes different forms of observation.

Circular routes with landscape and history

For active days, the Hengstdijk–Vogelfort circular route leads through the polder landscape west of Hengstdijk. The route is part of the “Langs Linies en Kreken” hiking network in the municipalities of Hulst and Terneuzen. The Hengstdijk tram bridge is incorporated into the Hengstdijk circular route. The concrete bridge in Hengstdijk lies along the route of the former Drieschouwen–Walsoorden tram line. Along the way, the polder landscape, path structure and memory of an earlier transport line come together.

Church and historic art

The organ of the St Catherine’s Church in Hengstdijk was built in 1917 by the Vermeulen brothers. The inventory of the R.K. St. Catherine’s Church includes the painting “The Adoration of the Magi” by Simon de Vos, dating from 1649. The organ and painting refer to different periods and give a stay in Hengstdijk a cultural dimension alongside its natural themes.

Fruit growing and day visitors

At Landwinkel Oude Stoof, activities related to fruit growing are organised, such as pruning fruit trees and picking apples and cherries. Recreatiecentrum De Vogel also welcomes day visitors who are not staying overnight; during busy periods, however, individual facilities may be open exclusively to overnight guests. You can therefore also visit the centre without staying overnight, but when planning your visit you should take the different access arrangements into account.

Holiday apartment in Hengstdijk for different holiday themes

Your choice of a holiday apartment in Hengstdijk can be guided by the holiday theme that is most important to you. The circular route and tram bridge fit into plans focused on paths and history, Grote Putting and De Vogel on nature observation, and Landwinkel Oude Stoof on fruit growing. If you are travelling with different interests, you can consider these themes alongside one another and structure your days around walks, landscape observation, culture and fruit-growing activities.

Discover more places

For further orientation, besides Hengstdijk you can also discover Terhole, Lamswaarde, Kloosterzande, Heikant, Hulst, Graauw, Walsoorden and Vogelwaarde.

To the higher-level travel overview: Hulst.