The Vollenhof is an old estate along the Zuiderzeestraatweg between Wezep and Oldebroek. The classic country house is situated amongst majestic trees, a coach house and old greenhouses in the kitchen garden, all of which still breathe the atmosphere of olden times. The variety of laneways, pastures and shrubbery makes this estate one of the prettiest spots in North West Veluwe.

The Buildings

The main house was built in the late 1830's, in Neo-Classical style. The façade of this white building with its shutters, makes a stately impression. However, its wide frontal view gives no hint of how shallow the building is in depth.

The coach house and other buildings on the estate can be recognized by its red and yellow shutters. These are the colours of the family crest of the van Riemsdijk and van Heeckeren families.

The coach house, which is currently used as garage and workshop, still shows the water and feed bins for the horses. The hay in the attic used to be dropped directly through trap doors into the feed bins below. On the other side of the coach house are the harness room and the coachman's quarters.

Beyond the moat is an 18th century "hallenhuis" farmhouse with a clog shed at the entrance. This type of farmhouse historically had living quarters, byre & barn all under one roof. In the yard, not much has changed since farmer "Kragt" milked his cows, even though the milk cans have gone. The shed for the calves has a cooking corner where the fodder was prepared.

A little further across the road is the former gardener's dwelling. This picturesque house was built in the 1820's, complete with old-fashioned cupboard beds. Two families used to live in this tiny house!

The Park Layout

The 18th century formal park layout of the Estate can still be easily recognized.

The rectangular footprint of the house is repeated in the rectangular shape of the moat, which surrounds the house. It is similar again to the elongated patterns of the surrounding estate. This pattern dates back to the small parcels that were characteristic in the former Oldebroek peat colony.

The approach and the entrance gate to the house runs along the moat, which is lined by a beech hedgerow. Around the moat are pastures where once radial layout Stars Forests ("sterrenbossen") existed. These are alternated by a system of avenues, pathways and treed parcels lying at right angles to each other.

The oak wood coppice formerly gave significant revenues. During the 20th century it has grown into oak forests. In the spring and fall these forests are bordered by colourful "krenteboompjes", June berries, Rose family.

Worth mentioning are the majestic beech tree lined alleys, the pollard linden trees with their crotchety trunks and the tall pine trees in the "Jeruzalem" forest. A twisting oak lined pathway in the "Slingerbos" runs along a striking old larch tree, which spreads its branches out over a pond.

The "Kerkepad" which cuts through the middle of the estate, runs along the water pond park of the neighbouring estate, Oldhorst. The natural landscape of that park with its sloping banks, winding pathways under century old trees forms a handsome contrast to the formal pathway layout of the Vollenhof.

The buildings and the park of the historical estate, Vollenhof, have for decades been protected as a Federal Heritage Estate. The park is open to hikers.



The "Kerkepad" which cuts through the middle of the estate, runs along the water pond park of the neighbouring estate, Oldhorst. The natural landscape of that park with its sloping banks, winding pathways under century old trees forms a handsome contrast to the formal pathway layout of the Vollenhof.

The buildings and the park of the historical estate, Vollenhof, have for decades been protected as a Federal Heritage Estate. The park is open to hikers.

Flora and Fauna

The diversified varieties of forests, pathways, avenues, pastures and fields and the fresh water rising from the Veluwe hills, attribute to this nature reserve a value of great significance. In the springtime the house is surrounded by wild hyacinths, daffodils, anemones and natural Stars of Bethlehem. Later also the lilies of the valley and Solomon's Seals. Frogs and water salamanders live in the moat around the estate house.



The watery grounds of the estate, the "Esgat", is managed for its alder tree coppice. The dense bush offers cover for jackrabbits, deer and other wild animals. You may also see birds like the black and green woodpecker, the woodcock, the hawk and the barn owl.