The first week of our summer vacation we went with 6 mothers and 12 children to Estate De Mosbeek in Mander in Twente. We were lucky with the weather, because it promised to be a warm week. We left Rotterdam around 11 am and arrived more than 2 hours later at pancake restaurant Watermolen Bels, a tip from the owner of Landgoed De Mosbeek, where we had agreed to have lunch. What a beautiful place! A spacious terrace with a wooden playground where the children could let off steam after a few hours in the car…
After lunch we arrived at Landgoed De Mosbeek, a stone's throw from Watermolen Bels. When we arrived at the spacious parking lot, owner Henriët came over to welcome us and show us the house (suitable for 8-24 people). We entered a beautiful, attractively decorated room; a spacious kitchen with all the trimmings and a large cooking island, large dining tables and a cozy sitting area. Personally, I always find it an art to make such large spaces cozy, but Henriët is clearly adept at it! With her personal touch she makes the difference. For example, she had prepared a welcome surprise on the kitchen island:a beautifully wrapped Twentse krentewegge with bacon for the kids and there was already a jug of lemonade in the fridge. There were also cozy pots and vases with flowers and tea light holders everywhere.
Outside it was just as atmospheric as inside; a large covered terrace with beautiful outdoor lamps and adjacent the huge garden with football goals and a large trampoline. There was also a barn on the property with, among other things, a table tennis table, darts and a shuffleboard and other outdoor toys. So plenty to do for the children.
On the ground floor there were 3 bedrooms (1 for 4 persons), 2 toilets and 1 bathroom and on the first floor a further 8 double bedrooms, all with their own bathroom/toilet. Downstairs, 2 rooms were renamed "maid's room". Only the (2) boys and the youngest girls slept with the mothers on the first floor. The first night some sort of pecking order had to be determined downstairs, but that gradually got better…
After a homemade pizza we went to Cosmos Observatory in Lattrop about a fifteen minute drive away. There we were first shown a film about the universe and our personal tour guide told us all kinds of interesting facts. In the planetarium we could look at the starry sky, half lying in our chairs, under a dome. Not a real one, but a projected starry sky. There too, everything was told about the starry sky, constellations, the moon and planets. The children thought it was very interesting, because they asked a lot of questions. Also impressive was the image of a meteorite that seemed to be coming towards us… Finally, we were allowed to look through the large telescope in the observatory, but because it was not clear, we could not see much. It's a shame, but it was still a great outing and a reason to come back!
The second day it was so hot that we decided to go for a swim. Henriët had already said that the natural pools were not an option because of blue-green algae, but just across the border, in Germany, there was an open-air swimming pool. When we got there, we really wanted to turn around again, but we couldn't do that to the children. How busy it was! But after a while we could appreciate the coolness of the water.
When we got home it was still very hot and on the grounds of Landgoed De Mosbeek there was nothing to do with water… The stream “De Mosbeek” was overgrown with nettles, so that was not an option for now. Then one of the mothers had the bright idea to buy a water slide. The farmer gave us a garden hose with a groundwater connection and so the water fun could start! In the evening we had a barbecue with a rented BBQ and meat from the butcher in nearby Vasse (which was, by the way, just in the local PLUS).
The third day was Isa, my daughter's birthday. The night before, of course, we had already hung garlands and a few mothers had arranged mini tompouces with Isa's photo. As a “birthday party” we went climbing at AvaTarZ Nature Park near Oldenzaal. From the age of 9 you could do the high course there, under the supervision of a parent, but because most of the children were younger, I had booked the Kidz course for all children from 6 years old. For the smallest ladies (3 and 4 years old) there was a nature experience route that they could walk with their mother. The climbing course was a great success! It was extra nice that there was a TV crew from TV Oost, so the kids could immediately see themselves on the local TV channel in the evening. At the end of the day, Henriët's 4 children and husband came with a tractor decorated with balloons to collect the children for a birthday ride, but the weather suddenly got so bad that it was decided to do the ride the next morning.
The last day the children got their promised ride on the tractor and that was of course super. I myself was given a tour by Henriët on the grounds of De Schure, the other house that is rented out. De Schure is located on the other side of the house and also has a huge garden with picnic bench and trampoline and a barn with play options. You can also watch the calves here. The house itself is attractive and suitable for 4-11 people. Also an absolute must!
After we had cleaned up the house, we went to the Siepelmarkt in picturesque Ootmarsum. A nice end to a fun, but intensive week…
Landgoed De Mosbeek is an absolute must for a group of friends or family. The kitchen, dining and living room and the terrace are so large that you are never on top of each other and you can always retire to your own room if you want to. And of course it is nice to have your own toilet and shower. There is plenty to do for children and there are also plenty of opportunities in the area. Henriët can give all kinds of tips for nice trips and restaurants in the area and it is even possible to have a cook come to your home!
After we had cleaned up the house, we went to the Siepelmarkt in picturesque Ootmarsum. A nice end to a fun, but intensive week…
