Walking along the Dwingelderveld

Anyone who wants to take a really quiet walk without encountering dozens of people can indulge themselves in this walk through the rolling Holtingerveld.

Yellow-hammer
From the hamlet of Westeinde you walk through the Drenthe essen landscape to the quiet forests and heaths. On the heath you can spot rare birds such as yellowhammer and warbler. A little easier to see: the herd of Drentse Heideschapen. Grass snakes, slow worms and shy but venomous vipers live in the wetter areas. On a warm day you may see them enjoying the sun.

Brandeveen
The area around the Brandeveen is one of the hiking hotspots in the Netherlands. Don't tell anyone else, because you rarely meet people in this pristine area. A wonderful place to enjoy the un-Dutch silence for a while. The mirror-smooth Brandeveen is a mysterious-looking lake that has a rather practical history: it was created between 1910 and 1920 as a result of peat extraction.