Boerderij de Spijken

Over 350 restaurants, pubs and cafés are at the closest city of 's-Hertogenbosch or Den Bosch, capital of the North Brabant province and 15 minutes' drive from the farm. It's a popular place for music and festivals, and is famed too for its foodie speciality the Bossche Bol – a cream puff filled with whipped cream and covered in chocolate (and bigger than a tennis ball; do try). One of the biggest nature regions in the Netherlands, the De Biesbosch National Park, is a 30-minute drive away. Made up of rivers, creeks, islands and willow forest covering around 8,000 hectares, the park is a top spot for birdwatching and nature spotting, where kingfishers, sea eagles, beavers and otters all have their home. Hiking, cycling, sailing, canoeing and horse riding are also top picks; find out what's on offer or arrange to join a trip from the park's visitor centres at Drimmelen or Dordrecht, each 45 minutes away. A couple of castles are within easy reach: Castle Ammersoyen, the medieval pile along a branch of the Maas (five minutes' drive), and 14th-century Loevestein Castle 20 minutes' drive away at Heusden.