Halkenveen Amen, Elp and Grollo

Drenthe used to be a wide and open country, which was here and there split by a meandering stream. For a large part, the area was an impassable rough terrain that, in contrast to many other areas in the Netherlands, looked more like a tundra. This heathland only started to appear later in the peat area. In the meantime, forests have also been added to this varied environment, which do not contain the wide character of the province, but rather give it an extra dimension. In these forests and on the meadows around Grollo, hares, rabbits and larger game such as deer happily jump between the plants. Squirrels shoot into trees, fleeing from hunters such as polecats, weasels, stoats and foxes, which sneak through the undergrowth in search of slower prey. Hedgehogs rummage through the grass, while adders and lizards also like to live in the area. Birds such as the brown, grey and blue harrier can be seen flying low over the peat, while the buzzard drops from the sky onto an unfortunate prey and corvids and woodpeckers hang high in the trees. The many species of owls also wake up at dusk. Characteristic plants that brightly colour the area are the dandelion, the cuckoo flower, the buttercup, the cattail, the forget-me-not and the cow parsley. The starting point of the route is VOF Sherein, the local supermarket where you can also easily park your car. In the supermarket you can make the final preparations for the bike ride and fill your backpack or bike bag with tasty snacks. About halfway along the route you will also pass the beautiful mill of Grolloo, located in the middle of the peat area. The paaltjasker stands in the Grollooërveen and can be seen from far away. The tjasker was built in 1930, but it was not until 1986 that it got its current purpose. Incidentally, the mill has no other function than that of a tourist attraction. You can also approach it to within a few meters, if you are prepared to make your way through the tough vegetation.