Enjoy Giethoorn

In the Kop van Overijssel, culture and nature go hand in hand. You cycle through beautiful Giethoorn, but the Weerribben and the Wieden have also been shaped by human hands.

Watchtower
From your bike you have a beautiful view of the beautiful mix of swamp forests, reed fields, flower-rich meadows and lots of water in the Weerribben-Wieden National Park. This national park is one of the most beautiful areas in the Netherlands. And one of the quietest. No matter how rugged the environment may look, every square meter of this original peat area has been excavated by people for peat over three centuries. From the lookout tower on the cycle path you have a beautiful view over the Weerribben.

Venice of the North
Giethoorn is without a doubt the cultural-historical pearl on your route. This picturesque village is also called the Venice of the North. In Paasloo there is a Reformed Church from 1336, the nave of which corresponds to an Overijssel farm. Blokzijl is also worth a visit, it enjoys a protected village view because of the beautiful historic buildings on the harbor. At the lock you will find Sluiszicht Blokzijl, a café-restaurant where you can enjoy a delicious meal after your tour.

Unique barrel mill
Just past Paasloo you pass the Tonmolen, the only one in the Netherlands. This one-ton powered mill was built in 1899 by a local farmer, Berend Krol. Just like other farmers in the area, Krol's land was regularly flooded. Krol ideally wanted to tackle this problem by grinding the soil dry with a windmill. However, for a traditional mill, too many trees would have to be cut down to provide sufficient windage. So Krol designed a windmill in which the wind was captured by circularly mounted vertical slats that rotate in the horizontal plane. In 1952 the original barrel mill was lost due to a heavy storm. A replica was built in 2002. Would you like to spend another day cycling in De Kop van Overijssel? Then also cycle route 123145.