Discover Wijckel

Wijckel lies on Slotermeer and is especially interesting for travellers who want to include water and nature in their stay. The village is home to the Wikelerbosk, a deciduous forest. There are also traces of the area’s landscape and architectural history: the preserved parkland of the former Meerenstein estate, as well as a small house with a façade ornament bearing the date 1831. If you are looking for a hotel in Wijckel, you can plan your stay around whether you are most interested in the forest, the surrounding paths or historic details.

The Wikelerbosk and its geometric layout

The Wikelerbosk, also known as the Van Coehoornsbos, was established around 1860 and covers 11 hectares. This deciduous forest is laid out in the French geometric style, with grand avenues and rectangular plots defining its structure. These forms give the forest a character beyond its size alone; they reveal the layout associated with the style. If you are interested in designed landscapes, look out for the interplay of avenues and rectangular plots during your visit.

The forest is open to the public free of charge all year round, and you can walk along its paths at any time of year. In winter, the Grutte Berch in the Wikelerbosk offers a view of Slotermeer. This means you can enjoy two different seasonal experiences: the paths are suitable for a visit at any time of year, while the view described here is specifically a winter one.

Walking routes and nature nearby

Parking for visits to the Wikelerbosk is available near the Reformed church. From there, it is another 100 metres to the forest entrance; you can factor this short walk into your journey. In Wijckel, the Elfstedenpad continues to Sloten (19). After a loop through Sloten, the route leads back to Wijckel via junctions 40 and 32. As the numbering may change, check the latest junction information before setting out.

A longer walk in the area around Wijckel leads through the Wikeler Hop, across meadows and reed beds along Slotermeer, and on to De Baaier beach. The Wikeler Hop is a nature area managed by Staatsbosbeheer and is reached via the path beyond the Wikelerbosk. This lets you distinguish a woodland walk from a longer route through the landscape by the water, which focuses on the meadows, reed beds and De Baaier beach.

Traces of history and architectural styles

The former Meerenstein estate once stood in the middle of the Wikelerbosk. The surrounding parkland has been preserved, while the estate itself was demolished long ago. Both are part of the history of the area, but they should be distinguished: it is the surrounding parkland that survives, not the former estate.

A particularly charming little house with a pitched roof and gables stands on Menno van Coehoornweg. The year 1831 can be seen on a façade ornament. Wijckel thus brings together different scales of architectural and landscape history: the extensive Wikelerbosk, with its avenues and plots, and the roofline and façade detail of a single house.

A note for your stay

Discover more destinations: Oudemirdum, Rijs, Sleat, Balk, Harich, Sondel.

Go to the overview of the wider travel region: Gaasterlân-Sleat.