ミルエンシントヒューバートのおすすめウォーキング＆ハイキングルート

Tongelaar Castle is a medieval castle complex that, in its current form, incorporates elements from various periods. The castle stands on a strategic elevation and is surrounded by water features and old farmstead structures that are part of the historic estate. It was first mentioned in the 14th century and has been renovated and fortified several times since then. The buildings, courtyard, and moats clearly reflect its former fortified function and its later agricultural role within the estate. Today, the castle serves as a visitor center and restaurant, with views of the surrounding lanes and fields.

The herd of Scottish Highland cattle in the area around Tongelaar is used for natural grazing. Their peaceful nature and varied diet help them keep the landscape semi-open, preserving herb-rich grasslands, young heathland, and natural transitions between forest and open terrain. Their management contributes to biodiversity and prevents the area from becoming completely overgrown with herbaceous plants.

beautiful, quiet spot with views over the mill heath

beautiful and quiet heathland area with highland cattle

At the heart of the Molenheide area lies a second, unnamed fen that appears much more natural than its edges suggest. This fen lies deeper in the forest and heathland mosaic and is completely surrounded by mixed coniferous and deciduous forest that gradually transitions into open heathland. The water body is small, shallow, and highly dependent on rainwater and the local groundwater level. As a result, the water level can fluctuate significantly in wet and dry seasons, creating a dynamic peripheral zone with low peat formation, moor grass, and moist heathland vegetation. Due to its protected location, further from the edges and paths, the fen is a peaceful place where dragonflies, green frogs, and birds such as the wren and blackcap like to forage. Mosses and specific fen plants thrive there precisely because there is little human disturbance. The fen is part of the natural diversity that characterizes the Molenheide: open water amidst dense forest, interspersed with heathlands and grassy areas where highland cattle ensure that the landscape remains open.

The Molenheide fen lies within the Molenheide nature reserve, a short distance from the village of Wilbertoord, about a ten-minute walk from the town. The fen formed in a wet depression and is fed primarily by rainwater and groundwater, creating a shallow, nutrient-poor body of water typical of original heathlands. Moisture-loving plants grow around the fen, and along the edges, roughs and peaty vegetation develop, important for dragonflies and amphibians. The open water and surrounding transition zones provide an attractive habitat for breeding and foraging birds. The fen is part of a larger heathland and woodland mosaic maintained through management measures such as grazing with Highland cattle and targeted management; this ensures the area remains diverse and valuable for species that depend on an open, light-rich, and slightly moist landscape.

In this area you can often spot Scottish highlanders, what beautiful animals they are

The Kuilen Lakes are a beautiful water area with all its birds and wildlife