Walking across the heathland of the Dwingelderveld National Park

Dwingelderveld National Park guarantees a wonderful walk. This route leads you through the woods and the vast wet moorland with its almost endless, undisturbed horizon. The almost 4000 hectare Dwingelderveld is one of the quieter places in our country. Except if you suddenly find yourself between a herd of Drentse Heideschapen grazing the heath. Although their bleating also adds to the charm of the area. The Dwingelderveld is a humid area. You pass a number of fens or bogs as they say in Drenthe. The Drostenveen is one of the most beautiful lakes in the national park. From the high edge you have a good chance to discover special bird species. Occasionally a tree falcon skims out of the forest and tries to outwit a dragonfly. A little further on you will pass the Davidplassen where you can enjoy (migratory) birds in a viewing hut. The path crosses the border between forest and heath for a while, so that you sometimes see tree heather growing between the trees and shrubs. At the Smitsveen there is a strange bump in the landscape: it is a burial mound that was raised for the dead more than 3000 years ago. Nearby is a second burial mound hidden among the greenery. According to tradition, the Moordenaarsveen would also be a grave. During the Eighty Years' War, a Spanish soldier is said to have been murdered here, after which his body was left behind in the fen. The story goes that his ghost still haunts here. In the middle of the heathland you are standing on top of the Benderse Berg, the highest point in the area. You have a beautiful view of the area, especially when the flowering heather turns purple in August. The Oasis is located here: a small settlement of some trees, some fields and a small farm. Centuries ago, a few peasants settled here in sod huts. Writer Anne de Vries lived on the Benderse Berg for a while. His book'De man in de Jachthut\\\' takes place in this environment. Towards the end of your walk you will pass one of the two sheepfolds. If you arrive early enough, you can also walk here before the start of your walk to watch the sheep leave for the moor: a true experience. From mid-May through October 1, the herd leaves at 10 a.m. and returns around 5 p.m. Outside these months, times are variable. And in March it is lambing time.