Walking through the Weerribben

Want to experience the silence of the Weerribben? Put on your walking shoes to penetrate deep into this nature reserve. No matter how unspoilt the Weerribben looks, it was created by cutting peat for centuries.

The Weerribben
The Weerribben is one of the most beautiful nature reserves in the Netherlands. And one of the quietest. Here you mainly hear nature: the wind rustling through the reeds, the singing of reed warblers and reed warblers. And if you hear a splash in the water, it could be a duck, or it could be an otter. In the spring, however, the many birds ensure a buzz, although this will be music to the ears of most nature lovers.

Ossenzijl
You walk a few kilometers along the banks of the Kalenbergergracht. The thin reed that grows here is often used as a covering for the hood and wooden octagon of mills. Ossenzijl and Kalenberg are located on this canal, a sailing village that was only accessible by boat until the late 1950s. On the Hoogeweg you will see (at number 2) a former dyer's house. The route ends at Restaurant Ant Waeter where you can enjoy a quiet meal on the terrace on the water.

Polder mills on the Hoogeweg
On the Hoogeweg you will also see several nineteenth-century farm workers' houses. Small farmers once lived here who earned money in the winter by cutting reeds or digging peat. There are also three more mills on this road. The Wicher is a spider-head mill from 1982 that drains the surrounding area. The mill is a replacement for a similar mill that was demolished here in 1943. You will also see the Tjasker Kalenberg from 1963 and the Tjasker Ossenzijl from 1977. Both are still suitable for grinding, they provide the surrounding peat with water. Would you also like to explore this region by bike? Then drive route 343922.