Cycling route Kop van Overijssel and De Wieden
Cycle through a surprising landscape of shimmering lakes and ponds, vast reed beds, bird rich marshes and centuries old hedgerows.
The Landscape
The Kop van Overijssel is a rich and varied region where water, peat and cultural history are constantly intertwined. For centuries, the low peatlands were cultivated and reclaimed, after which the wettest areas were once again given space and transformed into a mosaic of reed beds, marshlands and open water. Today, you cycle through a tranquil world of wide open views, flower rich meadows, narrow ditches, ancient hedgerows and characteristic farmsteads.
De Wieden together with National Park Weerribben-Wieden forms the largest continuous low peat marsh in northwestern Europe and showcases the landscape of peat, water and reeds at its very best. From the fifteenth century onwards, peat extraction created narrow peat ponds and ridges, later followed by reed cultivation that still defines the rhythm of the area today. Here, you experience tranquil waterways, marshy low peatlands and expansive lakes, with endless vistas and frequent sightings of waterbirds along the way.
What You’ll Discover Along the Way
Along the route, swamp forests and alder carrs provide a sheltered green counterpart to the open water landscape. Ancient hedgerows and tree lines create shelter and variety, while on the slightly higher embankments and peat edges, nutrient poor patches with heath-like vegetation begin to appear. As a result, the scenery constantly alternates between enclosed stretches and wide open vistas.
In De Wieden, you cycle through the heart of an expansive low peat marsh shaped by centuries of peat extraction. Peat ponds and narrow peat ridges form a delicate pattern between reed beds and marshy peat edges, where the landscape is constantly shaped by light, wind and water. It is a place where the rustling of reeds and the calls of birds gently fill the silence.
Shimmering waterways set the rhythm of the Kop van Overijssel, with long sightlines along wide reed beds and open lakes. In De Wieden, this also includes large lakes such as Belterwijde and Beulakerwijde, where sky and water seem to merge almost seamlessly. Along the way, you constantly experience the openness of the water landscape and the tranquillity of nature.
Near Hasselt, the river landscape comes to life along the Zwarte Water, with dikes, oxbow pools and strips of floodplain guiding the water towards the Zwarte Meer. The transition from river scenery to reeds and polders gives the route extra dynamism, especially between Hasselt and Zwartsluis, where the landscape gradually becomes more open. This gives the cycling route a light and flowing character, with water visible on almost every horizon.
Ride along with us on this virtual bike tour
Virtual cycling through the Kop van Overijssel and De Wieden lets you glide from home through a water rich low peat landscape where reed beds, peat ponds and quiet waterways alternate with open lakes and endless skies. In the video, you experience the tranquillity of marshland nature and the character of an ancient cultural landscape, with hedgerows and green borders giving structure to the water landscape.
Along the way, you look out across large expanses of water such as Belterwijde and Beulakerwijde, where reed beds and sweeping vistas set the rhythm. Virtual cycling here feels like a peaceful journey of discovery through birdsong, rustling reeds and reflective waters, ideal for experiencing the atmosphere of De Wieden in one flowing ride.
Want to learn more about virtual cycling? THIS IS HOW VIRTUAL CYCLING WORKS
Route map and cycling junctions
Start and finish near cycling junction 39 on the Wijkweg in Rouveen. Because this is a circular route, you can also start at one of the other cycling junctions along the route.
Distance: 53 km
Estimated riding time: 3 hours 34 minutes
Elevation gain: 37 m
Paved roads: 97%
Unpaved / semi-paved: 3%
Ideal for: e-bikes and city bikes
Along the way: several options for a coffee break or lunch.
