Holiday apartment in Ooststellingwerf: Raised bog, forests and cultural routes

Ooststellingwerf combines the vastness of one of the last raised bog areas in Western Europe with the Drents-Friese Wold, one of the largest contiguous forest areas in the Netherlands. This forest landscape includes drifting sands, small lakes, heathlands and marshes. Between open moorland and dense forest, a varied landscape emerges that closely combines nature experiences, outdoor activities and cultural discoveries.

Nature

The Fochteloërveen provides a habitat for rare animal and plant species. These include cranes, common cottongrass and the critically endangered Veenhooibeestje butterfly. Hiking and cycling paths run through the raised bog, including the Wollegras hiking trail. A cycling route through the Fochteloërveen passes special viewpoints such as the 18-metre-high De Zeven observation tower, which offers views across the Fochteloërveen.

The Buitencentrum Drents-Friese Wold features the Grenzeloos Wold exhibition about nature in the national park. At the same time, the Buitencentrum is a starting point for activities and hiking trails in the national park. This brings the interpretation of the landscape and access to the trails together at a dedicated visitor centre.

Trails and routes

The Stellingenpad is a regional long-distance hiking trail of around 260 kilometres that runs through the Drents-Friese Wold. It comprises 15 stages of 12 to 28 kilometres and is signposted as part of the nationwide hiking junction network. Anyone looking for a longer hiking connection through the region will find both the regional scale and clearly structured stages here.

A seven-kilometre art route runs through the Parkbossen of Oldeberkoop and is accessible year-round. Another extensive route is the 160-kilometre Liberation Route Europe through Ooststellingwerf, with 21 notable sites. It covers the battles in early April in the forests south of Oldeberkoop, as well as the resistance's efforts to protect the bridges in the region.

Culture

Linguistic and village heritage also form part of the area's cultural character. Many residents in the smaller villages of Ooststellingwerf still frequently speak Stellingwerfs. The old church and its surroundings in Oldeberkoop form a protected villagescape. The village lies between the Turfroute and the Friese Waterlinie.

The Open Stal art route was established in 1971 in Appie Tjalma's café and is held every year in and around Oldeberkoop. In addition, Stichting Nobilis organises receptions with a lecture and guided tour for interested groups, as well as regular workshops and lectures. Ooststellingwerf therefore offers both an annual art route and organised formats featuring lectures and guided tours.

Activities

The so-called Buitensport Walhalla of Ooststellingwerf offers mountain biking, climbing, archery and canoeing as outdoor activities. Buitensport Walhalla also provides professional guidance, well-equipped facilities and routes for different ability levels.

The Duinen Zathe traffic and amusement park is a family leisure park with rides, an indoor hall, climbing and play equipment, and attractions for different age groups. At a traffic circuit, visitors can drive pedal cars and obtain a driving licence.

The Hein Mader art routes also combine exercise and art: they lead to 18 sculptures and have Appelscha as their central starting point. Appelscha lies on the edge of the 61-square-kilometre Drents-Friese Wold National Park. The second Hein Mader art route leads across the Fochteloërveen towards Haule and returns via Makkinga and Oosterwolde.

Other places in Ooststellingwerf: Appelscha, Oldeberkoop, Waskemeer, Oosterwolde, Fochteloo, Ravenswoud, Haule, Nijeberkoop, Langedijke, Elsloo, Donkerbroek.

For the overarching travel overview: Friesland.