A typical Dutch landscape

This walk takes you through the typical Dutch peat landscape of the Ankeveense Plassen. In this nature reserve, narrow ditches, reed beds, swamp forests and, of course, water are the order of the day. You see and hear many bird species. So bring binoculars to spot the birds.

Into the silent bog
The Ankeveense Plassen nature reserve was created by peat extraction. As early as the Middle Ages, peat was dug here and laid to dry on laying fields, so that the peat could be used as fuel. In many places you can still recognize the pattern of these legakkers by the narrow strips of land. Many bird species breed in this wetland area, such as the black tern, the purple heron and the reed warbler. The grass snake, which is harmless to humans, also occurs here.

Old thatched houses
Surprisingly enough, you can still discover old thatched cottages in the middle of the puddles. They belonged to the hamlet of De Googh, where the church path from Ankeveen to Nederhorst den Berg once ran through. The last part of this path has disappeared under water.

Swaying reed beds
You can see reed in many places in the Ankeveense Plassen. Part of these reed beds are mowed every year to prevent the puddles from becoming clogged. The rest of the reed beds are left alone, so that breeding birds can settle here. One of them is the mustache, a bird from the'you can hear me, but you rarely see\\\' category. Its sound is most like a whirring sewing machine. Have you ever wondered why reeds only bend even in strong winds, but never go flat or break? The leaves rotate on their axis, so that they do not catch the wind. Would you like to see more of this special peat landscape? Then cycle route 316475.