Long cycle route around Drachten

During this cycling route of almost 70 kilometers you will explore the surroundings of Drachten. The route starts in Bakkeveen and then you cycle through all kinds of small villages in Friesland, but you also cycle through beautiful nature.

From Bakkeveen to Drachten
From Bakkeveen you cycle past small villages towards Drachten. Drachten is the capital of the municipality of Smallingerland and is the largest place in Friesland in terms of inhabitants after Leeuwarden. Fact: Drachten is not one of the Frisian eleven cities, because it never had city rights.

House Olterterp
From Drachten you cycle west, towards De Alde Feanen National Park. You cycle along the water for a while, where you have a beautiful view. A little further on you cycle past Huize Olterterp, a monumental building in Olterterp. The building was renovated in the 1990s, but the original character has been largely preserved. Since then, Huize Olterterp has been used as the headquarters of the Frisian nature conservation organization It Fryske Gea. The building is recognized as a national monument. The estate is freely accessible. 

Nature lovers
Are you a nature lover? Then you are in the right place in Friesland. Here you can endlessly enjoy vast landscapes, unique flora and fauna, clear waters and historic dune dunes. This way you can fully enjoy everything nature has to offer. The variety of plants, trees, birds and other animals are a feast for the eyes.