A day at Dwingelderveld National Park

It doesn't take much effort to spend a few hours in Dwingelderveld National Park. You can enjoy cycling on the many kilometers of cycle paths. There are benches everywhere to enjoy nature. And the tranquility, because the Dwingelderveld is one of the quieter places in the Netherlands.

The Dwingelderveld
A gem in the already beautiful Drenthe, that's how you can safely call the Dwingelderveld. You cycle through pine forests and past peat bogs and juniper bushes. The beating heart is the vast wet moorland with its almost endless, undisturbed horizon. What a silence. Unless you suddenly find yourself between a herd of Drentse Heideschapen grazing the heath. Although their bleating also adds to the charm of the area.

Picturesque Dwingeloo
In addition to natural beauty, you will also find characteristic hamlets and green villages in Drenthe. In the ash landscape, which is intersected by streams, you can see some old thatched Saxon farms. It sometimes seems as if time has stood still here. In picturesque Dwingeloo you will pass the former manor Westrup and the Sint-Nicolaaskerk with its striking tower.

Visitor center Dwingelderveld
On the edge of Ruinen you will pass De Zaandplatte, a beautiful thatched flour mill from 1625. This mill was originally located in Echten where it had fallen into serious disrepair. The mill was demolished in 1964 and completely rebuilt at its current location. You will also find the Dwingelderveld Visitor Center here. In the permanent exhibition you can learn all about the origin and management of the valuable heath landscape. A little further on is the Ruiner Schaapskooi, which houses about 300 Drentse Heideschapen. The herd goes out every day. The De Schaapskudde Ruinen site lists the departure and arrival times, a unique experience.