Boating in the Alde Feanen, our loveliest spot

Sometimes something is so special that you actually want to keep it a secret. That goes for this nature reserve too.

Alde Feanen National Park, also known as the Oude Venen, is a nature reserve in the heart of Friesland between Grou and Drachten. The area consists of vast low-lying peat marshes, peat lakes, reed beds and blue grasslands. 

Around a thousand years ago, the area was a wet and marshy peatland. The landscape consisted of shallow lakes and a few higher peat ridges. People settled around these ridges and began to excavate the peat. The peat was dug away down to the sand, which meant the land sank lower. Large parts of the area were flooded. The influence of water and wind made itself felt. Even the slightly higher parts were washed away by the turbulent water. Small dykes broke through and peat pits became large lakes, such as the Grutte Krite and the Saiterpetten. This interplay between people and nature created a varied terrain of land, water and everything in between. Peat extraction continued into the 19th century.

After the peat extraction, people turned the edges of the Alde Feanen into pasture and hay meadows. Later, land was reclaimed on a large scale through polder construction. The last major polder (De Hege Warren, 400 hectares) was created in 1939. A large part of the Alde Feanen was never turned into polder.

Today, the Alde Feanen is an important nature reserve with a great diversity of plants and animals, and therefore a wonderful area to boat, walk and cycle through.

Our favourite place to stay overnight is the Saiterpetten, on the north-west side of the park. There are plenty of Marrekrite moorings there, yet it never really feels busy. The route via the Oudewegstervaart and the Skeane Sleat is beautiful: surrounded by nothing but greenery, you sail along the narrow waterway into another world. At the moorings in Saiterpetten you can't go ashore for a walk, so you entertain yourself on your own boat. Enjoying the setting sun and the peace of the surroundings with a good book is no problem at all for us. The day before we sail into the Alde Feanen, we make sure we have a full fridge, so we can treat ourselves to a delicious meal. 

Waking up in the Alde Feanen is a unique experience: the rising sun, the sound of the birds and otherwise… silence. A refreshing dip in the water or a trip on a SUP board makes a night in nature complete.

Most of the walking routes are on the east side of the area. Find a nice spot in the visitors' marina in Earnewald and put on your walking boots! There is a wide choice of walking routes here, both short ones, suitable for children, and long ones, for the real go-getters! The Alde Feanen region is also a great starting point for cyclists. There are a number of (new) cycling routes that run right through the area.

Our secret, loveliest spot in nature? That is definitely the Alde Feanen. If you go boating in Friesland, a visit to this beautiful area is a must!