National Park De Alde Feanen

VARIED NATURE AREA IN THE HEART OF FRIESLAND

De Alde Feanen means The Old Fenlands in Frisian. Ancient peat plays the most important role in the history of this beautiful area. It has lakes, bog pools, narrow strips of land, reed lands, marshlands, rugged areas, thickets, swampy forests and expansive meadows. These form a beautiful cultivated landscape that has become a natural environment, with one of Western Europe's largest wetland areas – with an area of no less than 4,000 hectares – as its crowning glory. It was once considered a worthless area, where residents lived in poverty. Over the centuries, it has been transformed into a unique landscape, influenced by human activity. De Alde Feanen National Park in the heart of Friesland offers a wide variety of landscape types, with many different plants and animals.

Thanks to its openness and the almost empty horizon, this varied nature area gives an impression of the Frisian landscape of long ago. The area is home to more than 100 species of breeding birds and over 450 plant species. Fortunately there is also enough space for humans, and humans and nature exist side by side in harmony in De Alde Feanen. This nature area can be enjoyed on foot, by bicycle or best of all by boat. Its possible to “see things with other eyes” everywhere, especially from the seven birdwatching huts and two lookout towers. With a bit of luck you might see the sea eagle, the osprey, or the beautiful kingfisher.

To help you make the most of your visit to De Alde Feanen National Park, this website offers a wealth of information about the possibilities for hiking, cycling, boating, canoeing and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) in this beautiful area. If you have a mobile phone with an internet connection, we recommend our hiking, cycling and boating app. This helps you find the most beautiful routes, as well as all relevant information about sailing times for bicycle ferries, birdwatching huts and useful facts, etc.

Of course, you can also come to the Visitor Centre for all information about De Alde Feanen National Park. A large number of excursions in the area also depart from the visitor centre.