Oostendorper Watermill, south of Haaksbergen.

Haaksbergen is a municipality and city in Overijssel, The Netherlands.

Understand

The oldest signs of human activity in the municipality that is known to man date back to 800 BC. The city of Haaksbergen, however, dates to 800 AD. The first mention of Haaksbergen dates from an 1188 register of goods, which mentioned grave Hendrik van Dale, who too owned Diepenheim and Ahaus, owned property in Hockesbeghe.

The Buurserbeek stream, was rerouted south of the village to connect to the Schipbeek around 1400. Until then, the Buurserbeek was the main source of water, running through the centre of the village. This rerouting meant that Haaksbergen could connect to the Hanseatic cities of Deventer, Kampen and Zwolle.

In the 19th century textile production became the main source of income for the city. At its peak, 80% of Haaksbergen's population worked in the textile industry. In the early 1970s, on account of cheaper forgein labour, the domestic textile market of the Netherlands collapsed, meaning the end of the industry in Haaksbergen as well as many other cities and towns in the Eastern Netherlands.

Get in

Train of the Museum Buurtspoorweg, which runs heritage trains in the region.

By public transit

Buses connect to Haaksbergen on a frequent basis. Line 62 connects to Neede, Denekamp and Borculo, line 53 to Hengelo's train station, line 199 to Eibergen. Line 73 connects to Winterswijk. All of these leave from the main 1 Bus station of Haaksbergen, located on the Zeedijk.

Haaksbergen train station hasn't been used for frequent transit for quite some years. Before the Second World War, the station was a stop on the line between Doetinchem and Hengelo. Subsequently, it was used for freight, before being fully closed in 1972. The line is still in use as a heritage railway connecting to Boekelo, several kilometers up north.

By car

Haaksbergen borders the N18 on the south side of town. This national road connects to Enschede in the northeast, connecting to Doetinchem in the southwest after having become the A18 highway near Varsseveld. The N18 also connects to Eibergen and Groenlo in the south.

Via Enschede the A35 can be reached, which in turn connects to the A1. This route is best used when travelling from Amersfoort and everything north from there. When travelling from the south, travel via Arnhem to which the A12 from The Hague, the A15 from Rotterdam and A50 from Eindhoven connect. From here, follow the signs to Doetinchem, which should guide you to the A12 heading for Zevenaar. Follow the A12 and turn onto the A18 between Zevenaar and Beek to avoid driving into Germany. Follow the A18 and turn right onto the N18 once the highway ends. Following the N18 will send you straight to Haaksbergen.

Get around

Haaksbergen is best explored by foot or bike. There's no doubt that you'll soon be visiting places outside of Haaksbergen though, which is why renting a car, using the buses or a taxi is recommended when visiting places outside of town.

See

• 1 Oostendorper Watermölle (Oostendorp watermill), Watermolenweg. (updated Oct 2017)

Do

• 1 Museum Buurtspoorweg (Heritage railway), Stationsstraat 3, ☏ +31 535 721 516, info@museumbuurtspoorweg.nl. Running days. Hop on a heritage train on the little bit that remains of the Doetinchem-Hengelo railway. The museum runs historical running stock between Haaksbergen and Boekelo and shows artefacts relating to rail travel. €7. (updated Oct 2017)

Eat

• 1 De Postkoets, Blankenburg 4, ☏ +31 535 728 794. (updated Oct 2017)
• 2 de Kornuiten, Markt 2, ☏ +31 533 001 738. (updated Oct 2017)
• 3 't Notarishoes, Markt 7, ☏ +31 535 727 467. (updated Oct 2017)
• 4 Sirtaki (Greek speciality restaurant), Molenstraat 3A, ☏ +31 535 721 199. (updated Oct 2017)
• 5 Peking (Chinese-Indian restaurant), Molenstraat 18, ☏ +31 535 722 798. (updated Oct 2017)
• 6 De Blanckenborgh, Enschedesestraat 65, ☏ +31 535 741 155. (updated Oct 2017)
• 7 Bi'j de Watermölle, Watermolenweg 3, ☏ +31 535 729 250. (updated Oct 2017)
• 8 Winkelman, Broekheurnerweg 52, Buurse, ☏ +31 535 696 202, info@cafewinkelman.nl. (updated Oct 2017)
• 9 De Nachtegaal, Hengelosestraat 83, ☏ +31 743 676 227. (updated Oct 2017)
• 10 Dwars, Goorsestraat 219, ☏ +31 743 575 202. (updated Oct 2017)

Sleep

• 1 Hotel/B&B Erve Bruggert, Scholtenhagenweg 46, ☏ +31 535 721 404. €76. (updated Oct 2017)
• 2 Bad Boekelo, Oude Deldenerweg 203, Enschede, ☏ +31 534 283 005. €42.50. (updated Oct 2017)
• 3 Hotel Pierik, Goorsestraat 25, Hengevelde, ☏ +31 547 333 000. €70. (updated Oct 2017)
• 4 B&B Erve Hanebulten, Beekweg 10, Buurse, ☏ +31 535 696 652, erve.hanebulten@kpnmail.nl. €130. (updated Oct 2017)
• 5 B&B De Gagel, Oude Enschedeseweg 76, ☏ +31 534 324 297. (updated Oct 2017)
• 6 De Pol, Meijersgaardenweg 4-6, Buurse, ☏ +31 535 696 802, info@de-pol.nl. Family offering both B&B rooms (up to 6 people) and group accommodation (6-36 people). (updated Oct 2017)

Go next

• Zuid-Twente hosts bigger cities than Haaksbergen, such as Hengelo and Enschede, both of which too have a history in the textile industry.
• Nearby Berkelland and Oost Gelre give great impressions of the Achterhoek, which events such as the Zwarte Cross, the biggest paid music festival of the Netherlands and the largest motorcross event of the world, as well as the Slag om Grolle, the bi-annual reenactment of the siege of Groenlo.