Holiday apartment in Wijster: cycling routes, nature and archaeology

Holiday apartment in Wijster between cycling routes and countryside

Wijster combines routes on the VAM-berg with a varied landscape along the Oude Diep and archaeological traces from Roman times and the early Middle Ages.

Cycling on the VAM-berg

There are 10 kilometres of mountain bike routes on the VAM-berg. The mountain bike course includes, among other things, a 300-metre-long wooden bridge and a 60-metre-long floating water bridge. The combination of route length and special crossings gives the cycling day a clearly recognisable profile.

Oude Diep: meadows, orchids and wildlife

At De Maten, east of the VAM-berg, the restored Oude Diep once again winds through a varied landscape with nutrient-poor meadows, hedgerows and rows of trees. In spring, some areas around the Oude Diep may be coloured pink by orchids, including the rare Harkelijn orchid. In the Pesserma area, bluethroats, stonechats and grasshopper warblers find a habitat; traces of otters have also been found in the Oude Diep area.

Hiking and cycling by route length

The “VAM-berg and the Oude Diep” hiking route is 5 kilometres long. The route length provides a timeframe for a day of hiking on the “VAM-berg and the Oude Diep” route. The “Wijster: Landgoed Vossenberg” hiking trail, which is also 5 kilometres long, starts at the bridge over the Linthorst-Homankanaal on the road from Wijster to Bruntinge, runs through woodland and heathland, and offers a view of the Reigerveen. A cycling route of more than 40 kilometres also runs along the Oude Diep.

Wildlife and plants at Vossenberg

Around 80 bird species live at Landgoed Vossenberg, including the rare red-backed shrike, and Scottish Highland cattle graze on the estate. The rare floating bladderwort grows in the Reigerveen, turning the area white in summer. The name Vossenberg comes from one of the burial mounds in this area.

De Blinkerd on the VAM-berg

The De Blinkerd information centre is located on the VAM-berg at Vamweg 5, 9418 TM Wijster. De Blinkerd provides information about the restoration of the Oude Diep, Attero’s waste processing and water management in a stream valley system.

Archaeology and remembrance

Wijster’s history also goes back a long way. The excavation of a large settlement with a burial ground from Roman times and the early Middle Ages near Wijster is internationally renowned. The archaeological farm type Wijster from the Roman Imperial period is named after Wijster. Excavations on the Noorder Es of Wijster uncovered the remains of a settlement with 18 farmsteads dating from AD 200 to 400. On 14 December 2015, a memorial panel commemorating the Wijster train hijacking was erected at the level crossing on Oosterseveldweg.

For further location options, you can also consider Hooghalen, Westerbork, Mantinge, Hijken, Balinge, Hoogersmilde, Elp and Spier.

For the overview of the wider region: Midden-Drenthe.