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The Upper Plasmolen
De Bovenste Plasmolen in Plasmolen is a historic water mill in the nature reserve near Mookerheide, where you can experience the landscape and history up close.
Who is this a real getaway for?
Do you enjoy walking, old machinery and places with a story to tell? Then the Bovenste Plasmolen is a lovely place to stop. The mill is situated in the heart of Sint-Jansberg and is particularly enjoyable for walkers, couples, families and anyone who likes to see how things really worked in the past. Visits are intimate and peaceful. It’s not a large museum, but the millers are happy to explain how water, cogs and millstones work together.
When will you visit?
Sint-Jansberg is a lovely place to walk all year round, but the mill itself is not open every day. From May to October, you can normally visit the Bovenste Plasmolen every second Sunday of the month from 11.00 to 16.00. Visits by appointment are also possible.
Each season brings a different atmosphere to the area. In spring, water flows between fresh green slopes. In summer, you can walk beneath a dense canopy of leaves, and in autumn the woods around the mill take on a riot of colour. As the Sint-Jansberg is quite hilly, sturdy shoes are no luxury.
What to expect.
The Bovenste Plasmolen has stood here since 1725. Initially, the mill was used to make paper for over a hundred years. From 1846 onwards, grain was ground and husked there. The large waterwheel is driven by water from the streams and ponds of the Sint-Jansberg. A distinctive feature is that the wheel can be fed with water at different levels. As a result, the mill is classified as a double-action mill.
If you visit on an open day, you’ll see much more than just an old building. The millers set the machinery in motion and explain how the flow of water ultimately drives the millstones. It is the sound that really makes an impression: flowing water, creaking wood and cogwheels that slowly begin to turn.
The next part of your visit begins naturally around the mill. The Kiekberg Route and Beek Route run right past the Bovenste Plasmolen. Following winding paths, you’ll continue your walk across the hills of Sint-Jansberg, past streams, fields and woodland. This allows you to see at a glance the landscape that has enabled this watermill to operate here for centuries.
Why this place is worth a detour
At the Bovenste Plasmolen, nature and heritage truly go hand in hand. Without the variations in elevation and the flowing water of the Sint-Jansberg, there would have been no watermill here. As a result, a visit feels less like viewing a standalone monument and more like discovering how people in the past made clever use of their surroundings.
So do allow a little more time than just for the mill itself. Take a stroll through Sint-Jansberg and, along the way, take in the changes in elevation, the streams and the mill pond. Natuurmonumenten also highlights the remains of a Roman villa as one of the historical sites in the area. This way, you’ll encounter different layers of history all in one walk.
When will it be launched?
From May to October, the Bovenste Plasmolen is open every second Sunday of the month from 11.00 to 16.00. Outside these times, you can visit the mill by appointment. The walking trails through Sint-Jansberg are also accessible when the mill is closed to the public.
The mill’s visiting address is Kiekbergsebaan 6, 6586 AN Plasmolen. For a walk through Sint-Jansberg, you can also start at the car park on Witteweg/Rijksweg in Plasmolen. Dogs are allowed in the nature reserve, provided they are kept on a lead.
Our tip
Plan your visit on a Sunday when the mill is in operation, and then continue your walk across the Sint-Jansberg. That way, you’ll first hear from the millers how the water is used, and then see for yourself outside where that water and the difference in elevation come from. This immediately makes the story of the mill a lot clearer.
Regiotip: discover more on the Sint-Jansberg
After your visit, be sure to stay in the area for a while longer. The Sint-Jansberg consists of wooded slopes, streams, fields and ancient cultural landscapes. Along the way, you can also walk past the site of a former Roman villa. Don’t expect a flat walk here: the winding paths regularly go up and down. It is precisely this that makes this part of North Limburg feel different almost everywhere you go.
A monument you can actually see in action
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The Bovenste Plasmolen is particularly enjoyable because you’re not just looking at an old building here. You can hear the water flowing, see the wheel turning and discover how all the parts work together. Combine that with a walk through Sint-Jansberg and you have a visit where technology, nature and history come together beautifully.
Frequently asked questions
From May to October, you can normally visit the mill every second Sunday of the month from 11.00 to 16.00. Visits by appointment are also possible.
The watermill dates from 1725 and was initially used for paper production. Later, it was used to grind and hull grain. A unique feature is that the waterwheel can be driven by the water in various ways. This provides a fine example of how cleverly people used to make use of the landscape and
Certainly. The windmill is situated amidst the greenery of the Sint-Jansberg and is easy to combine with a walk. The Kiekbergroute and the Beekroute, amongst others, pass by the windmill. This way, you can immediately see where the water comes from that powers the windmill.
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