The dense forests of Drenthe

This walking tour takes you through National Park Drents-Friese Wold, a nature reserve that includes large forests, heathland and shifting sands. After the Veluwe, this is the largest contiguous forest area in the Netherlands. The route runs through the middle of the national park. And you notice that: it can be dead quiet here. You walk along part of De Hoekenbrink, a low area where dry and wet heath alternate. In the humid parts, the peat fluff waves at the slightest breath of wind, in August the flowering heather turns the area into a purple sea. Symbol for the Drents-Friese Wold is the black woodpecker. If you outsmart him, you will see this stubborn bird hanging on a trunk. You also pass a number of fens. All those different landscapes provide you with a wonderfully varied route with ever-changing vistas.