A beautiful tour through the Wieden

In the Kop van Overijssel you can cycle a beautiful tour through the Wieden, the rugged nature reserve that consists of a mosaic of swamp forests, reed fields, flowery meadows and lots of water. At the end of your route, the Venice of the North awaits you: Giethoorn!

Ferry in Jonen
In the middle of Dwarsgracht is one of the thickest and oldest ash trees in the Netherlands. The tree was planted around 1800, and the trunk is now over 4 meters thick and 25 meters high. In Jonen you cross the Walengracht with a foot ferry. In high season the crossing costs €1.10. During the winter period, the boat is replaced by a self-service ferry. Blokzijl is a nice town that enjoys a protected village view because of the beautiful historic buildings on the harbor.

Water tower of St. John's Monastery
The Wieden mainly differs from the Weerribben by its larger lakes, such as the Beulakerwijde and Belterwijde. Both lakes were created by storm surges in 1775, 1776 and 1825. At Sint-Jansklooster you pass the former Water Tower from 1932. Since 2014 you can climb to the top of this 45 meter high tower: both the stairs and the panoramic view provide a spectacular view. experience.

The Great Otters Cage
On the edge of Dwarsgracht is De Grote Otterskooi, the largest duck decoy in Western Europe. It is named after the former owner, Sjoerd Otter. The history of duck decoys goes back to the Middle Ages. With the help of domestic ducks and a Kooikershond, wild ducks were lured to a sheltered spot to catch them, after which they were eaten. This practice no longer takes place nowadays: duck decoys are only maintained for their cultural-historical significance. The Grote Otterskooi can only be viewed by booking a paid boating excursion from the De Wieden Visitor Center.