Twentepad
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Twentepad: A Practical Guide to Twente’s 92 km Loop
HikeList Score
Twentepad scored 84/100 on HikeList's trail-quality metrics.
See score breakdownHide breakdown
- Ideal length 85
- Balanced challenge 90
- Scenery & wildness 78
- Varied terrain 94
- Accommodation 91
- Food & support 68
- Path quality 80
- Season flexibility 89
Computed from length, challenge, scenery & wildness, terrain variety, accommodation, food & support, path quality and season flexibility.
The Twentepad is Streekpad 2 (SP 2), a 92 km circular walking route in Overijssel, in the east of the Netherlands. It starts and finishes at Almelo railway station and is typically walked in 5 days. Expect easy-to-moderate hiking: forest paths, farm tracks, brook valleys, estate lanes and quiet country roads across the small-scale farmland and low hills of Noordoost-Twente. It suits walkers who want a waymarked multi-day Dutch route with towns, villages and accommodation close to the trail.
Route Overview
The Twentepad is a loop, waymarked yellow-red in both directions, starting and ending at Almelo station. The usual five-stage circuit is Almelo - Tubbergen, Tubbergen - Ootmarsum, Ootmarsum - Oldenzaal, Oldenzaal - Hertme, and Hertme - Almelo, with stage distances varying slightly after the 2025 reroute. Key places include Tubbergen, Ootmarsum, Denekamp, De Lutte, Oldenzaal and Hertme, with the route passing close to the German border in northeast Twente. Almelo’s railway station makes access straightforward for a car-free start. For similar Dutch regional walking, compare the Achterhoekpad, Drenthepad or Friese Woudenpad.
History and 2025 Reroute
The Twentepad is a Dutch regional long-distance path managed by Wandelnet and Recreatieschap Twente. It was substantially rerouted in 2024-2025 to pass through more village centres and marked “experience points”. The updated waymarking went live on 17 March 2025, with the official distance revised to 92 km over five day-stages. Older sources may still list 84-87 km, and some current listings incorrectly show it as an 8.5 km one-day loop.
Notable highlights
- Singraven estate and watermill: A historic havezate, or manor estate, near Denekamp. The working Molen van Singraven watermill on the Dinkel is a classic eastern-section stop.
- Springendal and Dal van de Mosbeek: Spring-fed brook valleys near Ootmarsum, known for clear streams, glacial slopes and varied flora. They give this lowland route some of its richest nature walking.
- Dinkel valley: The meandering River Dinkel threads through the eastern Twente section. Its free-flowing brook landscape contrasts with the more managed farmland elsewhere on the loop.
- Tankenberg: At 85.1 m, this is the highest point in Overijssel, near Oldenzaal. It is a modest climb, but a real high point on an otherwise gentle route.
- Plechelmus Basilica, Oldenzaal: A Romanesque cruciform basilica built around 1150 from Bentheim sandstone. It is one of the most notable historic buildings on the route.
- Almelo-Nordhorn canal and watermills: The former canal and historic Bels and Frans watermills show Twente’s industrial and water-management past.
Challenges to expect
This is not a mountain route, but it is not flat polder either. The cumulative ascent is about 355 m, spread across low hills including the Galgenberg and Tankenberg. Expect mixed surfaces, occasional quiet road walking and potentially muddy brook-valley or field sections after rain. Use current Wandelnet information, the guidebook or topographic maps, because pre-2025 route descriptions may be outdated.
HikeList Score
Twentepad scored 84/100 on HikeList's trail-quality metrics.
See score breakdownHide breakdown
- Ideal length 85
- Balanced challenge 90
- Scenery & wildness 78
- Varied terrain 94
- Accommodation 91
- Food & support 68
- Path quality 80
- Season flexibility 89
Computed from length, challenge, scenery & wildness, terrain variety, accommodation, food & support, path quality and season flexibility.
NetherlandsShow more data Show less
- Forest
- Farmland
- Hills
- Brook Valleys
- Dirt
- Gravel
- Paved
- Hotels
- B&Bs
- Guesthouses
- Family Friendly
- Pet Friendly
- Restrooms
- Picnic Areas
Photos from hikers
Taken on the trail by people who've reviewed Twentepad.
Start at Almelo railway station and follow the yellow-red waymarks out into the small-scale farmland and villages of northeast Twente.
Continue through the gently rolling coulisse landscape towards Ootmarsum, one of the key towns on the route.
Walk through the eastern part of the loop, with highlights nearby including Springendal, Dal van de Mosbeek, the Dinkel valley and Singraven estate.
Leave Oldenzaal after the Plechelmus Basilica area and cross the low hills around the Tankenberg and Galgenberg before heading towards Hertme.
Complete the loop back to Almelo, using the waymarked public route through farmland, lanes and villages.
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