Story: Castles & Country Houses

Just after we had visited Muiderslot, my father took me to see De Haar Castle near Utrecht, the most beautiful fairy-tale castle in the Netherlands. This castle has hosted countless international celebrities, including Maria Callas and Brigitte Bardot. The neighbouring castle village of Haarzuilens is equally picturesque. It is painted in red and white, the colours of De Haar Castle.

Visiting Slot Loevestein is always a magnificent experience. The castle is nestled in the most spectacular location in the Dutch river landscape and can only be reached via a narrow dead-end lane that leads to the confluence of two mighty rivers. The famous Dutch scholar and lawyer Hugo Grotius was imprisoned at this secluded location until he escaped by hiding in a book chest.

Huis Bergh is likely the first castle that German visitors encounter in the Netherlands. Standing in a forested hilly landscape, this huge fortified castle overlooks the border and Autobahn 3. Features such as the extraordinary beauty and quality of its medieval art collection never cease to amaze me.

More and more castles in Gelderland have been opened up to the public. Ruurlo Castle recently became the backdrop to the works of art created by Carel Willink, who was a member of the magical realism movement. The large number of visitors are a testament to the museum’s success. The Gelderland town of Wijchen is home to another castle museum. Wijchen Castle is a small, charming castle that is maintained and run by enthusiastic volunteers. Also not to be missed is a visit to the unique Jachtslot Sint-Hubertus, a hunting lodge situated on the shoreline of a big lake in Hoge Veluwe National Park. The well-known Dutch architect Berlage designed the house and its interior for the immensely wealthy Kröller-Müller family. It is just a stone’s throw away from the museum with its impressive collection of Van Gogh paintings.

Hernen Castle stands out because of its innovative presentations. In particular, children will enjoy exploring the darkened halls and corridors guided by a talking lantern. A visit to Doorwerth Castle is always an amazing experience for me. Standing on a high moraine in the Veluwe, you can see the enormous castle rising up on the banks of the Rhine. Its escape room experience has been a huge success in recent years. Huis Zypendaal was built with money coming from plantations in Suriname. Geldersch Landschap en Kasteelen is open about this dark page in history and has funded scientific research into the estate’s history of slavery.

When thinking of a castle manager, people tend to think of a grey-haired woman with a bun and spectacles. I’d like to shake off that old-fashioned image.

Kitty guides us to the garden that borders Veluwezoom National Park, the backdrop to the Trots Farmer’s Market held every month at Rosendael Castle. The concept for the market was conceived by Groeneveld Castle in Baarn to highlight products that are locally made and sourced. Geldersch Landschap en Kasteelen embraced the initiative, as did the many visitors. It is one of the new activities through which Kitty Cloo aims to modernize her castle’s image. “In recent years, we’ve invested a lot in making all of the Foundation’s castles accessible to the disabled. Inclusivity is very important to us – we don’t exclude anyone.”

The garden also offers a lovely view of the orangery’s terrace full of people enjoying lunch or a cup of coffee. “The catering venue is the connecting factor; it is vital to every castle museum. Rosendael Castle is a modern museum, truly a complete and contemporary day out.”

I love to roam the gardens around Middachten Castle. This centuries-old estate takes you back in time and has been inhabited for centuries by a family belonging to the Dutch aristocracy. The Count and Countess zu Ortenburg are pleased to welcome visitors for a stroll through the garden. The surrounding estate still looks as it did 300 years ago and is managed using old, traditional techniques combined with modern guidelines for conservation of its unique nature and ecology.

Ruud describes managing the estate as a huge challenge due to climate change, the effects of which he can see in his garden. “Trees drop huge branches due to drought and soil life is dying. We’re trying to create extra water access points and new borders to improve biodiversity. I’m organizing a symposium to share our solutions because declining biodiversity is an international problem. It is my way of contributing to a better world.” Ruud also shows us another of his favourite spots in the garden. It contains the graves of pets buried here by previous castle owners. “I love this. Loving your pet so much that you give them a beautiful final resting place, complete with a homemade tombstone. I really like coming here to relax and enjoy some peace and quiet.”

Restaurant DeZusters is located in an imposing cloister complex from 1964 that was inhabited by Kanunnikessen van het Heilig Graf or Canonesses Regular of the Holy Sepulchre. Like the nuns, guests dine in the refectory – the priory’s historic dining hall. Niels also takes us on a walk through the beautiful natural surroundings of Doornburgh. “I pick wild garlic here, and over there is elder blossom that I use to make syrup. The other day I discovered an entire field full of currants, which we used to mow but now leave in place to improve biodiversity on the estate. It’s good for our planet and enriches the dishes I serve our guests.” Like previous residents of country estates and manor houses, Niels aims to be as self-sufficient as possible. One of his plans is to commission a worm hotel for optimum composting. “I have so many ideas and there are so many pioneering concepts I want to try. There is still much to accomplish here at Doornburgh.”