Salland was liberated from the German occupier in April 1945, and both in and around the National Park Sallandse Heuvelrug & Twents Reggedal, various places remind us of the Second World War. They are impressive spots that make you pause and reflect on the events of that time. The Liberation route of 10 kilometers is a beautiful example of a walk where you encounter the most remarkable memories. A special fusion of nature and history.
You start the walk at the Memory Freedom Museum in Nijverdal. Here, you experience step by step what the period of 1935-1945 approximately looked like. Through life-like dioramas, you experience the war past with all your senses. Yet the connection with the present is also strongly present.
Atop the Holterberg, you will find one of the most impressive memories of the Second World War: the cemetery 'The Canadian Cemetery Holten'. In this monumental environment, 1,394 soldiers found their final resting place. In the adjacent information center, personal stories, anecdotes, and photos take you back to the time when Northeast Netherlands was liberated.
In Holten, there are the Stevens monument and the hiding hut that remind us of the war and specifically the raid of October 14, 1944, in which two people in hiding and a resistance fighter were killed. At the Stevens monument, turn right into the forest path, and after about 300 meters, you will find the hiding hut. In this place, many people found shelter during the war. A laden location, but in a beautiful environment.
In addition to the previously mentioned Liberation walking route of 22 kilometers, there are also four different liberation cycling routes. In an active way, you can discover and experience the route the Allies took in the Netherlands at the end of World War II. Along the way, you will pass listening stones and hear, besides birdsong and the rustling of leaves, stories about important events during the liberation. The respective cycling routes are:
You can find these four liberation routes in the route booklet ‘Experience the Liberation in Salland and Twente’. Additionally, it contains impressive personal stories, accommodation options, and dining tips. The route booklets are available at Tourist Infos and VVV offices in Salland.
Not a historical site from World War II, but still fitting with the history of the Sallandse Heuvelrug: the Twilhaar sheep pen. Here, sheep are used to maintain the heathland and, just like in the past, to ensure typical heath products. Twilhaar Sheepfold has a real potstall with a floor that lies more than a meter below ground level. For centuries, farmers collected sheep manure here and mixed it with heather sods. With this mixture, they made the sandy soil of their fields fertile.
From April to October, you can visit Twilhaar campsite. Choose a spot along the forest edge with a view of the cozy campfire site. Or pitch your tent in one of the snug green niches between the trees and shrubs.
The Liberation Route Europe crosses national borders and starts at the beaches of Normandy, running through North Brabant, Nijmegen, Arnhem, and Overijssel towards Berlin. It is an ever-expanding international remembrance route connecting important milestones in modern European history. The route serves as a link between key regions during the advance of the Western Allies
