The Reest Valley and the architectural history of the long, linear village give Drogteropslagen two clearly distinct themes for a stay. Nature is all about the landscape, animal habitats and designated trails; the village’s history offers a chance to explore its development since the 19th century, as well as the school and farmhouses with their specific construction dates.
Nature, the Reest and trails
The Reest Valley around Drogteropslagen encompasses a varied landscape of woodland, belts of trees and wet grasslands. Rare marsh plants grow there, and the valley is also home to numerous animal species. The Reest river valley around Drogteropslagen is considered a special natural area. Near Drogteropslagen, the Reest forms the provincial boundary between Drenthe and Overijssel.
A circular walking trail with picnic spots has been laid out near Drogteropslagen. Residents of Drogteropslagen can also walk along part of the new nature area. Several walking trails are designated for Drogteropslagen; check their exact routes locally. A birdwatching screen has also been installed nearby.
Cycling also has a specific connection to the village: Narline's Fietsroute langs Drogteropslagen is a 29.6-kilometre leisure route for electric bikes. The old course of the Reest is visible along the route. This former river course near Drogteropslagen is considered a nesting site for kingfishers. Route details may change; check them before setting out. Walking and e-biking therefore differ in the routes described: on the one hand, there is a circular trail with picnic spots and other designated paths; on the other, a leisure route with a specific stated length.
Village history and farmhouses
Drogteropslagen developed in the second half of the 19th century as a long, linear village of the same name. The village layout describes the scale of the village as a whole; individual school and farm buildings add construction dates and architectural features to this picture.
The building of Reestzicht public primary school in Drogteropslagen dates from 1881 and still has its original front façade. Right next to the primary school stands an old, single-storey teacher’s residence with neoclassical elements; it was built at the same time as the school. Their shared construction period offers a point of comparison between the school’s preserved front façade and the architectural details of the residence.
The farmhouses also illustrate different periods of construction. The Krimpen farmhouse at Drogteropslagen 81 dates from around 1900. The modern head-and-body farmhouse at Drogteropslagen 48 dates from around 1930 and displays Nieuwe Zakelijkheid and Expressionist influences. The Krimpen farmhouse at Linderveldweg 25 dates from 1937. The head-and-body farmhouse Ons Voorland at Linderveldweg 29 dates from around 1940 and has a side aisle. This makes it possible to compare the chronology from around 1900 to around 1940 alongside different architectural features: Nieuwe Zakelijkheid and Expressionist influences at the farmhouse at Drogteropslagen 48, and a side aisle at Ons Voorland.
Discover more destinations: Zuidwolde, Echten, Ruinerwold, Veeningen, Koekange, Ansen, Ruinen, Linde.
For the overview of the wider area: De Wolden.
