Holiday apartment in Peest – heathland, history and distinctive paths

Peest combines a small triangular village green, scattered development and landscapes featuring prominent memorial sites. Several old farmhouses stand around the village green. The buildings are located on both sides of Hoofdweg and Schaapdijk. As a result, the village offers different starting points for your stay: you can explore the rural structure, incorporate historical traces or plan routes through the heathland and surrounding area. When choosing a holiday apartment in Peest, you can therefore select a place whose character stems from specific details rather than interchangeable promises.

Airfield and memorial sites in Peest

The Peest airfield in Drenthe covered 280 hectares and had three grass runways arranged in the shape of a large A. Near Westerveen, a memorial in Peest commemorates British airmen and French paratroopers who lost their lives there during the Second World War. It is a 2.5-metre-high memorial stele made of polished granite, with abstract, claw-like fingers made of stainless steel positioned along its edge. The historical spectrum in Peest thus ranges from a large-scale facility to a strikingly designed memorial.

The farmhouse at Schaapdijk 3 in Peest dates from the 19th century. Its side entrance is situated beneath a gabled roof partly covered with thatch and partly with tiles. The transformer house at Schaapdijk 1 in Peest is a provincial monument. Such architectural details give the exploration of Peest a concrete form and complement the broader themes with regional architecture.

Heathland and hidden traces in the landscape

The Noordsche Veld heathland is also known as “De Akker bij Peest” and has been designated a Rijksmonument because of its special archaeological value. Westerveen is also known locally as “Hitlerring”. It is a body of water hidden in the woods near Peest airfield and serves as a source of firefighting water. Landscape, archaeology and memory appear here in different, clearly identifiable forms.

Hiking trails and winter traditions

The Westerveen hiking route from Peest is approximately 3.75 kilometres long and begins at the junction of Hoofdweg and Schaapdijk. The approximately 7-kilometre Noordsche Veld hiking route from Peest follows a shell path across the heathland. The different route lengths help you plan your day around the distance you would like to cover. When the ice is safe, the Hou Streek skating club organises competitions for young and old at the ice rink next to the Mug. In addition, the Boermarke Peest enables an Easter bonfire to be lit every year at Easter.

Choose a holiday apartment in Peest according to your interests

When choosing a holiday apartment in Peest, you can therefore put your own interests first: the village green and farmhouses represent village impressions, while the Noordsche Veld and the two routes offer heathland and outdoor activity, and the airfield, memorial and transformer house introduce historical themes. Depending on which of these facets you would like to explore further during your holiday, the focus of your daily itinerary will change accordingly.

More destinations for your trip

More destinations for your trip include Peize, Roderesch, Roderwolde, Alteveer, Roden, Veenhuizen, Norg and Westervelde.

For the higher-level travel overview: Noordenveld.