Molen de Hoop

Molen De Hoop stands in Elspeet, a village on the northern part of the Veluwe, in the province of Gelderland. Windmills were once an essential part of the countryside, and each village depended on one to grind its grain into flour. De Hoop, whose name means hope, belongs to that tradition. It is an octagonal mill, a form common in the Netherlands, in which the body of the mill is eight-sided and clad in wood, and the sails turn on a cap that can be turned to face the wind. The octagonal shape is sturdy and practical, and it gives the mill a distinctive silhouette against the sky.

The mill was built in the late nineteenth century, a period when many Dutch mills were being replaced and rebuilt, and it has been a feature of the village landscape for well over a hundred years. In the age before steam and electric mills, wind-powered grain mills were crucial to rural life. Farmers brought their rye, wheat and buckwheat to the miller, who ground it between heavy millstones and returned flour, keeping a share as payment. The miller was an important figure in the community, and the sails were used to send signals, such as announcing weddings, births or mourning, according to the position in which they were stopped.

A visit to a working mill gives a sense of how the machinery operates. Inside, wooden gears, shafts and millstones are driven by the turning sails, and the whole building trembles and creaks when the wind is strong. On days when the mill is working, a volunteer miller may explain the process and show how the grain is ground and sifted, and fresh flour is sometimes for sale. It is worth checking when the mill is open, since many are run by volunteers and open only on certain days.

The setting is part of the appeal. Elspeet lies among heath and woods, and the Veluwe offers excellent walking and cycling, with sandy tracks, pine forest and open heather. The mill makes a pleasant waypoint on a route through the village and the surrounding countryside, and the nearby nature areas are rich in birds and deer.

The mill suits walkers, cyclists, families and anyone interested in traditional technology. A stop takes half an hour, longer if you join a tour. Take a camera, and pick a day with some wind if you hope to see the sails turn.