Nieuwkoop: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

The Nieuwkoop Lakes are a typically Dutch landscape and, at the same time, a lowland peat marsh area. As an important habitat, they are home to purple herons, green-winged orchids and northern water voles. Thus, the water landscape, peatland and rare animal and plant species are at the heart of the regional description of nature in Nieuwkoop.

Nature and Water

Water lilies, yellow water lilies and water soldiers can be found in and around the Nieuwkoop Lakes. The mammals found there include otters, roe deer and foxes. Nieuwkoop is considered a nature destination in the Groene Hart, offering opportunities for walking, boating and cycling. The Natuurmonumenten excursion boat on the Nieuwkoop Lakes is adapted for wheelchair users and has space for six wheelchairs.

A specific route through this water landscape is the Nieuwkoop Lakes Otter Canoe Route. It is 8.5 kilometres long and can be travelled by canoe, electric boat or SUP board. The different means of transport are expressly part of the route description. In addition to the water, paths through the peat meadows also characterise the landscape of the municipality and its region.

Cycle Routes and Paths

The “Smakelijk Fietsen – De Smaak van Veenweiden” cycling route passes farms, farm shops, terraces and other welcoming places in the municipality of Nieuwkoop and the surrounding region. The route is approximately 40 kilometres long; sections can also be cycled. Its description therefore combines the agriculturally shaped peat meadow landscape with stops at farms, farm shops and terraces, without requiring the entire route to be completed.

The walking options include the Jos Gemmekepad. This walking trail is named after Jos Gemmeke and is located in the Ruygeborg nature area.

Museums and History

Nieuwkoop Museum has permanent exhibitions on blacksmithing, the polder, a carpenter’s workshop, local archaeology and the Oude Hollandse Waterlinie. The museum also explains the formation of today’s peat meadow landscape and its development over the centuries. A visit to Nieuwkoop Museum takes about 45 minutes and can be combined with a cycling tour along the Nieuwkoop Lakes.

The Smederijmuseum Nieuwkoop offers a separate perspective on local craftsmanship. It presents the history of Nieuwkoop’s smithies, as well as the living and working conditions of the blacksmiths and their families. During a guided tour, visitors see blacksmithing carried out according to historical methods; the tour also includes the living quarters. The focus is therefore not only on the tools and activities of the blacksmiths, but also on the living environment associated with this craft.

The Reghthuystoren is the tower of the former Nieuwkoop House. The slender brick building dates from 1627 and has a balustrade and an intricately designed wooden octagonal upper section with an open pear-shaped finial. By arrangement, the Reghthuystoren can be climbed in a group. From there, visitors can enjoy views over the surrounding countryside; in clear weather, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht may also be visible.

At the Cultuur Historisch Museum Ter Aar, a permanent exhibition presents the history of Ter Aar and its surroundings. The collections cover subjects including agriculture and horticulture, peat extraction and the canning industry. The museum offers guided tours for clubs, schools and families of at least ten people. Boat trips for groups are also possible on the restored Kagenaar “Vrijwilliger” at the Cultuur Historisch Museum Ter Aar.

More local pages: Nieuwkoop, Nieuwveen, Woerdense Verlaat, Ter Aar, Zevenhoven, Noorden.

For the higher-level travel overview: South Holland.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Bernisse, Schiedam.