Burgumer Mar

National Landscape Noardlike Fryske Wâlden is a beautiful area, with a dense network of hedgerows, alder belts and rows of trees that separate grassy grasslands and fertile fields, and where lonely farms and small ribbon and ash villages form the only buildings. It is also called the most small-scale landscape in the Netherlands. The area is an offshoot of the Drents Plateau and contains ancient remains of boulder clay, cover sand and peat that are thousands of years old. During the ice age, the ice pushed up the ground, creating small moraines, but the height differences are still negligible. When humans came to the area, nature was quickly reclaimed and agricultural life gave the area a new look. The plots on which the farmers carry out their activities often have special and varied dimensions, from very narrow long plots to square pieces of land. You can often deduce the time of cultivation from the shape of the plots, but most plots were claimed in the Middle Ages. The more than 300 dobben in the area also contribute to the authenticity of the national landscape. Remains of shallow bowls, often surrounded by a ring wall and sometimes filled with water, characterize the landscape. These so-called pingo ruins often contain prehistoric remains and are therefore of inestimable cultural-historical value. Not only the nature is beautiful, but it is also nice to sniff culture. The route, which starts at a parking lot where you can park your car for free, takes you past water sports company De Lits and past various interesting museums, such as the ice age museum, agricultural museum Het Veenklooster, open-air museum Spitkeet or the regional museum at the Burgumermar. You can also settle down here and unpack your picnic basket, because cozy Burgum is steeped in Frisian culture. The marina NP de Alde Faenen is also a wonderful place for an outdoor lunch. While you enjoy the conviviality of a picnic together, you see beautiful boats, ships and yachts, but there is also an interesting visitor center where you can learn more about life on and around the water. The watchtower at the Burgumermar is also highly recommended, with a beautiful view you can see the many details that National Landscape Noardlike Fryske Wâlden extra well!