Treasures from the peat

This varied cycling route takes you past the many treasures of the WaterReijk Weerribben Wieden region. From the fortified town of Steenwijk you cycle towards Giethoorn, which is also called the Venice of the North. With its many bridges and waterways, this picturesque water village is an experience in itself. To transport the extracted peat, canals and ditches were dug here. This created small islands on which houses were built that can only be reached via bridges. There are dozens of characteristic national monuments in Giethoorn. The only continuous connection over land is a cycling and walking path that runs straight through the village. Much traffic takes place over the water, via so-called punts that - just like the gondolas in Venice - are propelled with a punt boom. You continue through the polders to the Weerribben-Wieden National Park, one of the most important wetland areas in Europe. This polder area has been extensively excavated through peat extraction, creating extensive reed fields, swamp forests and flowery hay fields. In this water-rich area you will of course find many lakes, ponds, canals and fens. During the route you will pass several old-fashioned dyers' houses, the former homes of peat cutters.