Westerveld: Shakespeare, Cultural Heritage and Nature

Westerveld is located in a tourist area with three national parks and the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Colonies of Benevolence” nearby. This offers a range of options for planning your trip, including cultural history, museums and trails through the landscape.

Culture, Art and History

The history of the Colonies of Benevolence connects places in the Netherlands and Belgium. In 2021, Veenhuizen, Frederiksoord, Wilhelminaoord and Wortel in Belgium were jointly granted UNESCO World Heritage status. The largest part of the Colonies is in the municipality of Westerveld, including Veenhuizen, Frederiksoord and Wilhelminaoord. These named places therefore represent both a cross-border connection and the largest share within the municipality.

The Shakespeare Theatre Diever stages plays by William Shakespeare every summer and winter. As programme dates may change, it is a good idea to check the current schedule before your trip. The Dwingeloo radio telescope also offers a special connection to culture and science: it is presented as the oldest steerable radio telescope in the world.

Those interested in ways of life in the past will find several different ways to explore them. The De Proefkolonie Museum presents the stories of the first colonists on a multimedia tour; check access and booking options before your visit. The OERmuseum Diever uses archaeological finds to show what happened in West Drenthe thousands of years ago. In Vledder, the Valse Kunst Museum tells the stories behind the art forgeries in its collection and also houses collections of contemporary glass art and Drenthe painting.

The Miramar Zeemuseum in Vledder has a collection of shells, corals and other marine animals from more than 80 countries. The museum also features the permanent Jutterspad outdoor trail in its garden, combining play, nature experiences and environmental awareness. It is free to access even when the museum is closed.

Landscape and Trails

Holtingerveld is designated as a Natura 2000 site. Its information centre houses the permanent interactive exhibition “Oerlandschap gekneed door ijs en oorlog” (“Ancient Landscape Shaped by Ice and War”). It explores the area’s formation, history and nature. The TIP Havelte in the information centre also answers visitors’ questions about local activities and history.

The Holtingerveld access gateway has parking, an information centre, Brasserie Oer, a children’s playground, a boulder garden and the sheepfold for the Holtinger flock. The paid-entry Papiliorama butterfly garden is also on the site. Check visitor and admission information before setting off. Walking and cycling routes from the access gateway lead, among other places, to the hunebeds at the foot of Havelterberg. A 5-kilometre route starts and ends at the Holtingerveld information centre; route conditions may vary by season.

Hunebed D53 in Havelte is one of the largest megalithic tombs in the Netherlands. It is also the only megalithic tomb to have suffered war damage. Landgoed Vledderhof offers a different kind of landscape experience: north of Vledder, its walking paths pass through a changing mix of woodland and grassland. A 8.5-kilometre walking route is signposted there.

Drents-Friese Wold National Park covers 6,000 hectares and is one of the largest natural areas in the Netherlands. It contains the Kale Duinen, also known as Aekingerzand, an area of dunes and shifting sand. Various walking, cycling and mountain biking routes to explore Drents-Friese Wold start from PUUR in Diever. Check route availability locally.

Cycling routes vary in length and course. The 36-kilometre Weldadig Rondje passes through the historic villages of Frederiksoord, Wilhelminaoord and Willemsoord in the Free Colonies of Benevolence; check route conditions and signposting in advance. The Museums Route is a 28.4-kilometre recreational cycling route that can be started from the Grenzeloos Doldersum visitor centre. Another option is the 26-kilometre audio cycling tour with Philip Freriks through the former colony villages of Frederiksoord and Wilhelminaoord. Check route and booking details before setting off. Shorter at 3 kilometres, the Sterrebos Route in Frederiksoord passes through the historic Sterrebos and is fully paved.

Visitor Information

The Dieversluis Visitor Centre is next to the Dieverbrug lock. An audiovisual presentation there provides information about the Drentsche Hoofdvaart, water management in Drenthe and the surrounding recreational area. The visitor centre is open seasonally; check opening times before your trip. The Tourist Information Points in the municipality of Westerveld provide information about events, accommodation, cycling, walking and horse-riding routes, attractions, museums and other activities. It is a good idea to check locations and opening times in advance.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Diever, Dieverbrug, Havelte, Vledder, Wapse, Vledderveen, Zorgvlied, Wateren, Doldersum, Uffelte, Frederiksoord, Dwingeloo, Wapserveen, Nijensleek, Oude Willem, Wilhelminaoord.

For the main travel overview: Drenthe.