Nieuwkoopsche Plassen

You are in the vicinity of the Nieuwkoopse Plassen, which are part of the former Holland-Utrecht peat bog area. The lakes were created through human activities, the classic excavation story. The Nieuwkoopse Plassen are located in the middle of the Green Heart of Holland. Characteristic of the area is the alternation between strips of water and narrow rib-like pieces of land. It is actually an unfinished area full of legakkers and peat holes, which were created when a lot of peat was extracted hundreds of years ago. The peat was dredged and stored on the legakkers. Part of it has been washed away and part has grown over into reed land. Since nature has been left alone, it has become wild, turning into a forest. Now it is a suitable habitat for rare breeding birds such as the black tern, bittern, and purple heron. The many colors in spring belong to the cuckoo flower, rattlesnake plantain, and blue button. If you want to get to know the area better, take a canoe and follow the twenty-five kilometer long canoe route that has been set out through the Nieuwkoopse Plassen.

LievenGillis