Exloo, 1e Exloërmond, Schoonoord

Get on your bike in Exloo and follow the traces of peat extraction, which shaped the landscape and villages here. The villages of 1e and 2e Exloërmond originated in the 19th century, when workers and peat farmers settled along the dug canals. The dead straight waterways you see here are silent witnesses of the time when peat - for centuries the fuel of the Netherlands - was transported to the city by prams. This swampy area was systematically reclaimed and transformed into a network of villages, canals and peat extraction sites, a characteristic landscape that is still visible today.

Out of this radically changed landscape, special nature reserves were also created. Cycle along De Zanderij and the Zoersche Landen, where, with man's help, nature can once again take its course. Here, marsh forests, open water and wet grasslands alternate. With a bit of luck, you might see a bank swallow skimming above the water or a beaver hiding in the riparian vegetation.

In the middle of this ancient moorland, however, you will come across a feat of modern technology: the LOFAR Superterp. This advanced research area captures radio waves from the universe with thousands of tiny antennas, allowing scientists to look far into the past and study the origins of stars and planets.

Cycling further, you come to the Oranjekanaal, a waterway dug in the 19th century to improve drainage and peat transport. The canal runs right through Schoonoord, which owes its characteristic appearance to it. Here you will find two special monuments that tell local history. For instance, stand on the artistic bridge over the canal and look up. Do you recognise the outline of an old-fashioned peat pram?