This cycling holiday takes you through Southwest Drenthe and Southeast Friesland, a unique area full of natural beauty, with forests, heathlands, drifting sand dunes, and valley grasslands. You will cycle through National Park Dwingelderveld, National Park Drents-Friese Wold, the Fochteloërveen, and past the Prison Museum in Veenhuizen. Along the way, you will pass several observation towers that offer stunning views of the landscape. Below, you can read more about the highlights of this trip.

National Park Dwingelderveld
National Park Dwingelderveld is the largest wet heathland in Western Europe, home to rare plants and animals. The route takes you past the Dwingelderveld Visitor Center, just outside the village of Ruinen. Here, you can visit a permanent exhibition about the formation and management of the heathland. There are also changing exhibitions, a butterfly and herb garden, and a beekeeping facility.

The Drents-Friese Wold
This special nature reserve is located on the border between Southwest Drenthe and Southeast Friesland. You will cycle through 6,000 hectares of forest, heath, drifting sand dunes, and valley grasslands. The area is one of the most beautiful and important nature reserves in Europe and has therefore been designated as a Natura 2000 site.

The Fochteloërveen
The Fochteloërveen is known for its silence, beautiful cloudscapes, and breathtaking views. From the observation tower "De Zeven," you can see for miles over the vast peat bog. This wet landscape is home to cranes, whinchats, stonechats, and the large heath butterfly. In spring, the peat bog turns white with cotton grass among the mosses.

The National Prison Museum
The National Prison Museum is housed in a former workhouse in Veenhuizen. Here, you will discover in an interactive way how the Netherlands has dealt with crime and punishment from 1600 to the present. You will also learn more about the history of Veenhuizen as a prison village.