Park Drents-Friese Wold

After the Veluwe, Drents - Friese Wold National Park is the largest contiguous forest area in the Netherlands, but the area does not only consist of trees. Heathland, shifting sand areas, fens and peat bogs are just a few of the many landscape features you will encounter here. There is a lot of variation in flora and fauna. On the wettest parts of the heaths there are heather, peat fluff, the wonderfully fragrant gale, bell gentian and the lovely lily variety yellow legwort. The carnivorous plant small sundew grows along the edges of soded fens, which catches small insects with its sticky leaves. Dozens of bird species breed on the heath, including stonechat, curlew and woodlark, but because the area is also covered by trees, many forest birds can also be seen. In addition, meadow birds and marsh birds are also attracted by the wet area and the type of vegetation. Not only birds live here in healthy populations. Deer, hares, rabbits, hedgehogs, squirrels and mice also have a great time. Also special is the presence of the very rare pine marten, which likes to hide between the rich deciduous forests. Other formidable hunters that prey on the smaller mammals are foxes, ermines and polecats. You depart from Stichting Talant also Handelsond, a supermarket in Oldeberkoop, where you can park your car. Buy something at the supermarket to nibble on or drink for the road, because it's wonderful to take a break in the nature of the park and listen to the wind stirring the bushes, the small animals scurrying between the trees or the hum of the insects on the moor. While trying to bring home the many bird species, you can sink your teeth into a thirst-quenching apple or energize with a cheese sandwich. You cycle in the direction of the National Park and arrive north of Elsloo at the Vesuvius windmill. The tjasker is also called"Stobbepoel\\\", because it is, as it were, in a pool. This mill was built at the end of the 19th century and was rediscovered in 1978. It was then restored by the Vesuvius Club. In winter, the blades of this mill are removed and stored safely. The rest of the mill remains in the pool. The next point of interest on the route is a belfry with a bell that is probably the oldest church bell in Northwest Europe. It could be that this clock is still a remnant of a monastery that, according to the stories, would have stood nearby. Whether that monastery actually existed remains a mystery. Another historic bell chair is the one that was built to carry the bell of the Trefkerk. The Trefkerk, a church that used to be here, replaced an older church from 1869. In the tower of that old church hung a bell from 1435, cast by J. van Bomen, with a diameter of 88.1 cm. The tower could no longer bear the weight of the clock and was therefore demolished in 1844. Around that year, the bell tower was built in which this bell was hung. This bell has not rung since 1984 due to its very poor condition. The bell tower was reopened in 1986 after a renovation. You pass through densely vegetated areas and see a sheepfold in the Drents Fries Wold National Park. Since 2002, the herd of sheep that is housed here has been grazing the heathland of the Doldersummerveld and Wapserveld. The sheep traditionally lend a hand to manage the heathland in the Drents-Friese Wold. The sheepfold with information shed about the work that the shepherd does can be found on the Heunderweg, in Doldersum. In Boijl you will see the last sight of the route. The bell tower that belongs to the reformed village church of Boijl was built around 1600, but the towerless church dates back to the 13th century. In the church there is a bell cast in 1339. The clock in the belfry, named Martinus, is one of the oldest in the Netherlands. Back at the car, you can do your shopping for dinner at the supermarket. After such a day in nature, nothing is nicer than cozy in your own living room at your own dining area to enjoy a dinner that you have prepared in your own kitchen. You can then enjoy your cup of coffee curled up on the couch.