Wijdemeren:
an abundance of tranquillity and room for recreation in the Green Heart of Holland
Wijdemeren is, with 7700 ha., the largest municipality in the area. It is a unique part of The Netherlands, with an abundance of lakes, swamps, forests, canals, meadows, estates, monuments en protected townscapes. Wijdemeren was founded in 2002 as a merger between the previous municipalities of Loosdrecht, ‘s-Graveland, Nederhorst den Berg, Ankeveen, Breukeleveen and Kortenhoef. Wijdemeren is located in what is called ‘the Green Heart’, a protected ‘green’ part of Holland, between the cities of Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht, the geographical heart of Holland.
If you have one or a couple of days to spend, Wijdemeren is a good place to visit. It has lots to offer to visitors wanting to spend some time out of the rush. Especially if you would like to enjoy some of Holland’s most beautiful and unspoiled countryside, Wijdemeren is the place to go to. You can explore it by (sail)boat, canoe, bicycle, by foot, or even, in winter, on ice skates. Boats, canoes and bicycles can be rented and there are some good hotels to stay at. All this at a driving distance of only 30 miles from Amsterdam! More information can be found on the tourist information website www.vvvhollandsmidden.nl
About Loosdrecht
Loosdrecht is one of the most popular aquatic sports places in The Netherlands. There are many boat clubs, yards and shops and along the dyke you will find lots of restaurants and café’s. If you are into boating, this is the place to rent your sailboat or sloop. Also located in Loosdrecht is the museum castle Sypesteyn. It is Holland’s youngest castle and it has a ‘tea house’, wedding room and a unique collection of Loosdrecht porcelain dating from the 17th and 18th century. Frequently, in summer, art expositions are organized in its beautiful garden.You may want to look at their web site for more information:
www.Sypesteyn.nl.
About Ankeveen
Ankeveen is Wijdemeren’s smallest village. It is completely surrounded by swamps and lakes. It is an ideal spot for hiking, bicycling or canoeing. And in winter, if the lakes freeze over, it is one of the best places to be if you like ice skating on natural ice.
About ‘s-Graveland
Characteristic for ‘s-Graveland’s protected townscape are the beautiful estates surrounded by forest area. These estates originate from the 17th (Golden) century, when nine estates were built by rich merchants from Amsterdam. A unique estate is Gooilust. Once owned by Frans Ernst Blaauw, it contains an extraordinary collection of tropical plants and animals that were brought there by Blaauw from his travels to the former Dutch East Indies. The garden can be visited in summertime on Tuesday and Saturday afternoons. Located along the ‘s Gravelandse vaart are the dwellings of laundry workers who used to work in the laundry works that were situated here. These laundry works thrived because of the extremely clean and soft water in this area.
About Kortenhoef
Kortenhoef is a picturesque little village surrounded by beautiful lakes. The lakes originate from the times when peat was cut from this area. It is one of the most often painted area’s of Holland. In fact, Kortenhoef’s Protestant church is the most often painted church in Holland.
About Nederhorst den Berg
Situated on the river Vecht, Nederhorst den Berg is one of the oldest towns in the area. Already in the 12th century a church was build there on a natural sand hill to protect it from flooding. Nederhorst castle is situated right in the middle of town and the town’s name partly originates from this castle. Unfortunately the castle is not open to the public.
