From the azure-blue waters of the Blauwe Meer to the idyllic sandy beaches of ‘t Nije Hemelriek: Drenthe is known as one of the most diverse and beautiful nature provinces in our country.
About a 1.5-hour drive from Amsterdam lies the Balloërveld, an impressive 367-hectare nature reserve where vast purple heathlands and sand drifts define the horizon.
But the biggest surprise of this primeval landscape in Drenthe lies right beneath your feet: a centuries-old network of prehistoric burial mounds, glacial craters, and hidden traces of war.
Ice Age craters and 3,000-year-old burial mounds
Anyone wandering across the vast heathland unwittingly steps into a prehistoric world. Scattered across the ridge lie dozens of ancient burial mounds, where people from the Stone and Bronze Ages were buried continuously for over 3,000 years.
Equally impressive are the deep pingo ruins—fairytale-like peat lakes that formed when gigantic ice mounds from the last Ice Age melted. Those who follow the trail will also pass the infamous Galgenberg, where, in later centuries, executed criminals hung as a grim warning to passersby.
Centuries-old trade routes and hidden secrets of war
Running across the heath are dozens of meters wide bands of deeply worn wagon ruts. For centuries, travelers and merchants traveled along this rugged trade route from Coevorden to Groningen, with the church tower of Rolde always serving as a recognizable landmark in the distance.
If you look more closely, you’ll also discover surprising traces from a much more recent past. At the edge of the heath, the intact tank ditches and trenches of the German “Frieslandriegel” from World War II still lie, remarkably well-preserved amid the Drenthe heath.
Drenthe heath sheep in a rare wilderness
The living heart of this primeval landscape is the traditional flock of sheep with its shepherd. Together with rare Drenthe heath sheep and heath cows, they roam the plain daily to keep the purple heather in top condition naturally.
Thanks to this grazing, the 367-hectare plateau has become a true paradise for nature lovers. Among the more than 200 unique plant species, you’ll regularly spot sunbathing vipers, shy roe deer, and over 25 different species of colorful butterflies.
