Holiday apartment in Nijensleek between heathland, fens and cultural heritage

Nijensleek lies in the valley of the Vledder Aa. The surrounding area combines a varied heathland landscape, historic buildings and traces of peat-cutting and agricultural history, offering a range of ways to spend your holiday days. The Nijensleekerveld is a heathland landscape with three fens and also a natural area along which the 70-kilometre “De Koloniën” recreational route passes. A holiday apartment in Nijensleek therefore provides a base from which you can discover natural and cultural interests in whatever order you choose.

Landscape and walking routes

The Nijensleekerveld can only be reached on foot via the Schouwpad along the Nijensleeker Schipsloot. Anyone wishing to visit this landscape area should therefore plan the access as a walk. The Schipsloot itself was constructed for transporting peat and is therefore one of the visible traces of the area's former use. The peatlands around Nijensleek also tell the story of this development: they were gradually reclaimed on a small scale from the late 13th century onwards.

For longer excursions, the 70-kilometre “De Koloniën” recreational route passes the Nijensleekerveld nature area in the vicinity of Nijensleek.

Historic buildings along the Hoofdweg

The Gereformeerde Kerk at Hoofdweg 59 is a municipal monument and was built in 1934. The vicarage from around 1905 stands at Hoofdweg 57. Both buildings are specific historic points of interest along the road, but differ in their construction period and function.

Hoofdweg 118 is probably a farm complex dating back to the 18th century, with side access beneath a thatched hipped roof. The Rieja Hoeve at Hoofdweg 69 dates from around 1935 and is a modern farm with two transversely positioned building sections. Along the Hoofdweg, you therefore encounter both a probably older farm complex and a later farm with a differently arranged building structure.

From craftsmanship to industrial history

The building complex at Hoofdweg 16–20 is a rare example of the transition from a craft-based to an industrial operation. The former dairy complex at the same address was founded in 1891 by J.J. Hilkemeyer as a manually operated dairy. As far as is known, the third and fourth sections of the complex at Hoofdweg 16 were used as a coffee roastery and potato shed.

A former coffee roastery and a storage building were converted into the “Roos en Lelie” Cultuurhuis in autumn 2002. Their former use remains recognisable as part of the local history, without this necessarily implying anything about the current operation. During your stay in Nijensleek, this building complex offers a different perspective on the village from the church, vicarage or farms: here, the focus is on work, processing and the transformation of economic structures.

The right holiday apartment for your daily rhythm

When choosing a holiday apartment in Nijensleek, you can use your interests as a starting point. The Nijensleekerveld and access via the Schouwpad lend themselves to planning time for walking, while the Hoofdweg, with its church, vicarage, farms and historic dairy complex, brings together opportunities for exploring cultural history. If you would like to combine nature and local history, both focuses can be incorporated into your stay without every holiday day having to follow the same pattern.

For further orientation, you can also find Wateren, Zorgvlied, Doldersum, Diever, Wapse, Uffelte, Wilhelminaoord and Havelte.

For the overarching travel overview: Westerveld.