A tour around the Wieden

The Wieden and the Weerribben together form one of the most important wetlands in Europe. This polder area has been extensively excavated throughout history due to peat extraction. This has created vast reed fields, flowery hay fields. Water, a lot of water, in the form of gullies, lakes, ponds, canals and fens stimulates the growth of special plants. The swamps are densely vegetated and here you will encounter pine wolf claw, swamp wolf claw, blond sedge and slender woolly grass. Fish eaters such as the cormorant, the Curlew, the black tern and the purple heron get their food from the waters of De Wieden, but other birds of prey also hunt here. The marsh harrier and rare short-eared owl make their prey on the quaking bogs, blue grasslands and moors. The beautiful nature reserve is characterized by lakes, gullies, canals, extensive reed fields, but also flowery hay meadows and dense swamp forests. Cycling through De Wieden you can fully enjoy the calm waters, but also the activity that fits the many marinas in this area. A nice sight along the tour is the Monnikenmolen in Sint Jansklooster. The tower mill, built in 1857, is covered with thatch. Like most of the mills in the Netherlands, the Monnikenmolen still functions as a corn mill. This mill and its outbuildings can be seen from afar. A beautiful picture!