Wapse: Hiking and Village History

Wapse is an esdorp, a village that originated in the early Middle Ages. The routes have different focuses: they lead through open fields and wooded hedgerows, through pine forests and along sandy paths, or past old farms. The history of the village and its agricultural landscape is also among the topics you can discover here.

Hiking between fields and the national park

Drents-Friese Wold National Park has more than 130 kilometres of hiking trails, spread across over 30 marked circular walks. The Wapser Ommetje Hoge Haar connects open fields, old wooded hedgerows, a former dairy and a primary school in Wapse. You can leave your car or bicycle at Wapse’s community centre for this route.

Bakkersveentie is Wapse’s animal park. Walkers can observe the animals there during their hike. The Wapse observation tower stands behind Camping Noorderveld and offers views over Wapse’s arable fields.

You’ll encounter a different landscape on the Ommetje Potties Bargen: A large part of the route runs through the national park, among pine forests and along quiet sandy paths. Potties Bargen is described as a historic burial mound site and is also called Hunebed D52a. The descriptions thus have different focuses: Hoge Haar connects the landscape with places of interest in Wapse, while Potties Bargen links forest paths with historic burial mounds.

Cycling route and agricultural cultural landscape

The 42-kilometre Wapse rond leisure cycling route runs through Wapse and along Drents-Friese Wold National Park. Another route, the Wapser Boermarke-Route, passes old farms in the medieval farming communities that make up Wapse. These routes offer different glimpses of the landscape and its history.

The sandy path near Nijenhof runs between pastures and hedgerows, evoking the historical atmosphere of the esdorp landscape. In Ten Have, the Binnenesch bears witness to more than 1,200 years of farming by Wapse’s farmers. The large Binnenesch south of Wapse is surrounded by farms that collectively belong to five kluften (historic neighbourhoods).

Village history along Ten Darperweg and at Wapserzand

The former cooperative butter and dairy factory Ons Belang is located on Ten Darperweg. It played an important role in the village and the surrounding farming community from the end of the 19th century. The dairy opened in 1897 and produced butter, cheese and milk there until 1970.

The school is also connected with Ten Darperweg: in 1874, Wapse’s school was given a new building there. It continues to operate today under the name Ten Darperschoele.

Wapserzand, part of Drents-Friese Wold National Park, lies north of Wapse. There is a hideout there from the Second World War, where wounded resistance fighters were cared for. After the occupying forces destroyed the hideout, it was later rebuilt and fitted with a memorial plaque.

Planning information

There is a bus stop on Ten Darperweg near the school, with services towards Diever and Steenwijk. If you’re planning to travel by bus, check the timetable for your connection in advance.

Discover more destinations: Havelte, Wateren, Frederiksoord, Nijensleek, Vledder, Dwingeloo, Oude Willem, Wilhelminaoord.

See the wider travel overview: Westerveld.