Kamperveen – Polder Landscape and Zuiderzeepad

Polder landscape and settlement layout

Kamperveen is an area of clay over peat. Three hamlets define its layout: De Zande, Zuideinde and Hogeweg. The open polder landscape extends into the village centre; a distinctive pattern of trees is also one of its characteristic features. In Kamperveen, broad open spaces meet a landscape shaped by waterways and dikes.

Dikes, drainage channels, pools formed by dike breaches and field ditches are still largely present here. They tell the story of how the area developed and make its water and landscape history visible through tangible features. This connection is important for understanding the area: the landscape is not only open and expansive, but also bears visible traces of its development.

Zuiderzeepad and cycling along the dikes

The long-distance hiking trail Zuiderzeepad (LAW 8) passes through Kamperveen and circles the IJsselmeer. It is listed as 478 kilometres long, with 28 daily stages. Its length and stage divisions may change when the route is altered; check the latest route information before setting out. The route through Kamperveen is listed as running from Elburg via Noordeinde to Kampen.

Hiking the Zuiderzeepad and cycling along the Hogeweg and Venedijk dikes are among the activities in Kamperveen. The route details answer different questions: the 478 kilometres and 28 stages describe the long-distance trail as a whole, while Hogeweg and Venedijk are the dikes mentioned for cycling. When planning a trip, you can therefore distinguish between hiking the long-distance trail and exploring the landscape by bike, without conflating the two options.

Wielen and traces of the historic landscape

Along the Hogeweg, Spijkerboerweg and Venedijk, you can see wielen: round bodies of water formed by earlier dike breaches. They are among the landscape features that tell the story of how people have managed water. Monument No. 46202 is also located on the Hogeweg: a huisterp, or dwelling mound, with an adjacent wielenkolk, a pool formed by a dike breach.

Landgoed Wittenstein lies southeast of the village centre of Zuideinde. Old avenues and tall vegetation have survived from the original English landscape park. Together with the wielen, dikes and waterways, these features illustrate different aspects of Kamperveen’s landscape history: from traces of earlier dike breaches to surviving elements of a designed park landscape.

Buildings and history

The foundation stone of the electric pumping station at Noordwendigedijk 12A was laid by J. A. Hardenberg on 19 September 1936. The pumping station is part of the water management system of Waterschap Kamperveen and is of general cultural, architectural-historical and urban-planning significance.

The Dompe also points to the area’s earlier history. Around 1330, a church was built there on the Leidijk. It was destroyed and never rebuilt; today, only a burial mound at the former site marks its location. This is distinct from the Gereformeerde Kerk Kamperveen: built in 1874, it gave the Christelijke Gereformeerde Gemeente the opportunity to carry out evangelistic work from there.

Discover more nearby destinations: Zalk, Grafhorst, IJsselmuiden, Kampen.

Return to the main travel overview: Kampen.