Cycling through the Kuinderbos

There is a lot of old cultural history to discover on the border of the Noordoostpolder, Friesland and Overijssel. You also cycle through the new Kuinderbos.

Kuinderbos
Like the Flevopolder, the Noordoostpolder was also created in the 1940s to create new agricultural land. Where the peat soil proved unsuitable for farming, forests arose, such as the Kuinderbos, the largest and oldest forest in the Noordoostpolder. The hundreds of thousands of saplings that have been planted here after hard work have resulted in a beautifully varied forest. If you get off here for a break, also look at the ground: shell remains can still be found between the trees.

Zuiderzee village
Kuinre was once a fishing village on the turbulent Zuiderzee. That history lives on in Henric de Cranestraat, where you can see some beautiful centuries-old buildings, such as one from 1649 (at number 81) and 1786 (at number 83). The stately Waag, which was later used as a town hall, dates from 1776, the Reformed Church from 1678. The striking water tower, an example from the Amsterdam School, dates from 1933 and is 35 meters high.

Kuinder castle
At the end of the Kuindervaart, near Restaurant de Wipkip and Camping Craneburcht Kuinre, is a remnant of the first Kuinderburcht, a fortress of the Lords of Kuinre. This castle was abandoned in 1378 to build a new fortress further on. In the sixteenth century, the second Kuinderburcht was demolished, after which the remains of both castles were flooded. After the reclamation of the Noordoostpolder, the foundation of the first Kuinderburcht was partly reconstructed. Incidentally, the Lords of Kuinre were no sweethearts: they were among the worst pirates of their time. Merchants on the Hanseatic route were regularly attacked and held for ransom in the castle.