Cycling through the NP Drents-Friesewold and Dwingelderveld

Imagine yourself far from civilization between the rolling heaths, more than sixty lakes and fens, shifting sands and forests in the largest wet heathland in Western Europe. Dwingelderveld National Park is unique in size and special in terms of flora and fauna. In addition to typical heather plants such as heather, heather, crow's heather and sundew, you will also encounter the rare legumes and bell gentian. They are surrounded by nearly three hundred different bird species, many of which also breed in the area. Butterflies flutter from one flowering shrub to the next and it is therefore the last place in the Netherlands where the very rare peat butterflies still occur. Almost all Dutch reptiles are represented on the wet moorland and the adder, the smooth snake and the grass snake are no exception here, while skittish roe deer hide between the trees. You can also encounter more domesticated animals, because there are herds of moor sheep walking around.

On the border of Drenthe and Friesland, there are beautiful, large forests, heathland, shifting sands and relaxing stream valley grasslands: Drens-Friese Wold National Park. After the Veluwe, it is the largest contiguous forest area in the Netherlands. Symbol of this beautiful forest area is the black woodpecker. If you are lucky you can see this beautiful little bird in the forest; hearing his drumming often succeeds. Accompanied by his enthusiastic drumming on the tree trunks, your bike ride immediately gets more atmosphere.

Also take a look at a former country estate in Dwingeloo in Drenthe. Oldengaerde is one of the four manors in or near this place and dates back to the early fifteenth century. Then Reynolt van Echten had a rectangular house built, surrounded by a moat on three sides. Since 2004, the house and the surrounding large gardens have been listed as a national monument.