Stellingwerven and Schoterland

The Landscape

In Southeast Friesland, forests, heathlands, streams, and historic peat reclamations come together to create a landscape full of character and variety. This is where Friesland gradually blends into the provinces of Drenthe and Overijssel, not just in landscape, but also in culture and language. North of the river Tsjonger lies the picturesque region of Schoterland: a diverse area of open meadows, elegant country estates, and intimate farmlands framed by hedgerows, woodlands, and patches of heath.

South of the Tsjonger River lies the Stellingwerven, a region still largely undiscovered by the wider public. Precisely because of this, it has retained its authentic charm. You’ll find expansive peat polders, water-rich ditches and canals, flower-filled stream valleys, peat bogs, swaying reed beds, and long, narrow peat-cutting pools, along with historic features such as locks, pumping stations, and windmills. Here, tranquillity, nature, and cultural heritage come together in a uniquely enchanting corner of Friesland.