Exel, Rural hamlet in Lochem, Netherlands.
Exel is a small hamlet in the municipality of Lochem, in the Netherlands, set between the estates of Verwolde and Ampsen. It consists of scattered farmhouses and homes connected by narrow local roads, with white signs marking its boundaries.
The settlement was first recorded in 1392 under the name Eghesloe and grew from a group of farms around the Ekselse Enk. In 1971 it was absorbed into the municipality of Lochem.
The community center in Exel is where local groups such as the theater group AEV and the sports club De Mölle meet regularly. Passing through the hamlet, you get a sense of how closely connected residents are despite the distances between their homes.
Exel is best reached by car or bicycle, as public transport is very limited in this rural area. The white boundary signs help you know when you have entered the hamlet, since the transition from the surrounding countryside is gradual.
Every August, the Stichting Exels Feest organizes a three-day festival with sports events, cycling races, and performances that draws residents from across the scattered hamlet. It is one of the few moments when most of the local population gathers in one place.
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