Kasteel Wijlre estate offers various routes through the garden. Every year, Kasteel Wijlre estate invites a visual artist, botanist, historian, architect, or philosopher to develop a new route. Each route tells a story about the place. The visitor can discover the estate through the Butterfly Route, the Fragrance Route, and the Greyometer. The discovery art route for children from age six was also added at the end of 2019.
Bird Route
With our Bird-watching Bag, children and adults can explore our gardens looking for birds. The bag is filled with binoculars, bird-watching card and registration card. If you register what you encounter in our gardens, you can help us collect data about bird life on Kasteel Wijlre estate like a real ‘citizen scientist’!
Butterfly Route
The Butterfly Route was created by botanist and artist Stefan Cools. The route leads you through all the places where the native butterfly species of Kasteel Wijlre estate live as caterpillar, pupa and butterfly. The Butterfly Route offers an experience that is particularly enjoyable for children.
Fragrance Route
Artist Sanne Vaassen developed the Fragrance Route with fragrance architect Tanja Schell. The route is inspired by the garden’s scents and the fragrances of the Mr and Mrs Eyck: the residents and founders of Kasteel Wijlre estate.
10 Leaves
In the garden route ’10 leaves’, Milah van Zuilen (1998) gives the visitor a new perspective on the Castle Garden and its historical trees.
Greyometer
Artist Oscar Lourens developed the Greyometer. Using a greyscale circle, the walker measures the various shades of grey in the garden and the different buildings and works of art in the outdoor area.
Discover art route for kids (in Dutch)
The discovery art route for children from age six was developed by art historian and museum teacher Elsje Drewes. This route takes you along the garden’s permanent artworks. It offers a different look at the interplay of art, nature, and architecture through questions and assignments. See also Museumkids.nl.