Holiday apartment in De Wilp: village history, gardens and experiences

De Wilp combines village history, culture and a wide range of discoveries. Historic churches, traces of peat and settlement history, distinctive gardens and the Frisian language all form part of the village’s character. There is also an announced walking tour and the De Wilp maize maze.

Churches, organ and the Wulp in the village centre

The Plantsoenkerk in De Wilp has been recognised as a Rijksmonument since 11 August 1993. The Oosterkerk in De Wilp was built in 1919 and extensively renovated in the 1990s. Another historical connection is told by the story of the organ: in 1871, it was sold by the Doopsgezinde Gemeente to the Hervormde kerk in De Wilp.

At the heart of De Wilp stands a Wulp figure created by the artist Klaas Duursma. It is connected with the history of the village name and the “De Wulp” project, which began in 2016. As part of the project, a new Wulp figure and a sitzpraam were installed in the centre. The village name, the project and the figure are each connected with the name Wulp. De Wilp cemetery also has a bell frame, a wooden structure with a suspended bell.

Canals, settlement history and the Frisian language

The development of De Wilp is closely linked to the reclamation of the land. Frisian workers developed the surrounding area, thereby giving rise to the village. Later, peat workers settled on the reclaimed land as smallholders. At the end of the 18th century, the Wilpsterhoofdvaart was dug; gradually, a settlement emerged that took its name from the inn “de Wulp”, which existed at the time.

In the early history of De Wilp, there were initially no roads. Instead, canals and muddy paths along the banks shaped connections through the village. Today, Frisian is used as a colloquial language in De Wilp, mainly as a result of migration.

Culture, nature, walking tour, maize maze and gardens in De Wilp

An announced walking tour through De Wilp led past the sports fields and through the village forest. Everyone was welcome to join this walk, participation was free and registration was not required. The De Wilp maize maze offers a new adventure every year with puzzles, craft activities and a treasure hunt at the end. The announced walking tour and the maize maze focus on different things: a route past sports fields and through the village forest on the one hand, and puzzles, craft activities and a treasure hunt on the other.

Lianne's Siergrassen also expands the range of possible discoveries. The specialist nursery combines a prairie garden with an ornamental grass garden. It also houses the Dutch plant collection for ornamental grasses. Beech hedges create garden rooms with different atmospheres. The two types of garden, the plant collection and the rooms formed by beech hedges are all part of the same specialist nursery.

Marum and Nuis.

To the higher-level travel overview: Marum.