De Paalberg is the first royal campsite in the Netherlands

The fact that Recreation Park De Paalberg has existed for 100 years this year is already worth celebrating. It is one of the oldest campsites in the Netherlands. And it appears to be a quality campsite, now that the holiday park has also received the designation 'Royal supplier'.

On September 17, the mayor of Ermelo, André Baars, unveiled the coat of arms that goes with the title of Royal Purveyor. And this makes the Paalberg the first recreation park in the Netherlands that can rightly claim to be royal. That took some doing, as can be read on The Stentor. Director Coen van den Broek says that both the company and the van den Broek family were completely turned inside out.

100 years of camping

Recreation park De Paalberg is almost the oldest recreation park in the Netherlands. The park was founded in 1920 by the new Protestant club 'Amsterdam Society for Young Men', AMVJ for short. These Amsterdammers have made this park great by organizing many summer camps on the heath with sports, games and culture. The first pile was driven into the ground in 1920. This part of the heath is known as De Paalberg, the highest point.

You can still find old photos and postcards in the park's archive. Youth slept in wooden barracks, which also served as a backdrop for the craziest role-playing games. A dining room, water tower and shop were soon added to the site. Thanks to the job creation during the crisis years, the unemployed are digging a huge hole at the Paalberg. The Ermelose swimming pool opened in 1935 and was an immediate success.

From the 1950s onwards the park grew with annual pitches for caravans and chalets. From the 1970s also with tourist spots. The park has been increasingly modernized over the years. Several generations of families still stay at this park. It is a nice place with many memories. People know each other.

Respect and admiration

Father Gert van den Broek, owner of the park since 2012, looks at the achievement with a mix of respect and admiration. “I think it is so special that the park has been receiving guests for all these hundred years. The location attracts people like a magnet. I have only been involved in this for a relatively short time with my son Coen van den Broek. That's why I look at it with respect. This is bigger than we are.”

The family business will continue to invest in the park in the coming years so that many generations can continue to enjoy this exceptionally beautiful place all year round.

Knowing more? View on depaalberg.nl

Still looking for a new or used camper or caravan? Check it out here current offer. Or read the latter camping news.