Hoeve Springendal

Get outdoors at Springendal nature reserve, a wildlife hub that can be reached in five minutes by bike. For further rural sights, head to De Molen van Frans, a handsome traditional windmill (five minutes' drive) or Mosbeek Valley nature reserve (10 minutes). Keen to learn more about local life? Make tracks for the Veenmuseum (25 minutes) to get clued up about all manner of local traditions. Ootmarsum (10 minutes) is another great spot in the immediate vicinity: stroll through this town's cobbled medieval streets, admire the half-timbered houses or sit back with a drink on a terrace and listen to the church bells. Tubbergen (15 minutes) has similar historic vibes and is well worth a visit, as is Bad Bentheim (45 minutes), over the German border and far-famed for its castle and flea market. For kid-pleasing times, drive 10 minutes to the local observatory and take in the cosmos, or cross over into Germany to survey the fearsome birds and beasts at the local zoo (25 minutes).