The Ankeveense Plassen combine open stretches of water with narrow ditches, islands, peat-cutting pits, and strips of land. The village’s history can also be seen in different places: in a former church, a historic park, and buildings such as the Hollandse Molen. When planning your trip, it’s worth keeping the conditions for each activity in mind: walking trails, a guided exploration on the water, garden visits by arrangement, and winter tours that depend on ice are different ways to get to know Ankeveen.
The Ankeveense Plassen: Landscape and Nature
The lakes form a maze of peat-cutting pits and strips of land, islands, narrow ditches, and open stretches of water. Their present-day landscape was also shaped by peat extraction from the 16th to the 18th century. A visit therefore brings together features of the waterscape and traces of its history of use. The lakes are also a resting area for numerous reed, water, and marsh birds. Nature lovers will find not only open stretches of water here, but also an area of importance to resting birds.
Walking Trails and Guided Explorations
Several public walking trails run through the Kortenhoefse and Ankeveense Plassen. One section of the Ankeveense Plassen walking route follows a historic church path: in the past, Ankeveen residents used it to reach the church in Nederhorst den Berg. This makes it possible to combine a walk through the landscape with a former route connecting the villages.
Another option is to explore the area on the water with a Natuurmonumenten guide. The trip passes through a maze of strips of land and peat-cutting pits. Availability of this activity may change; check whether the tour is running before your visit. A special rule applies to boating in the Ankeveense section of the lakes: only people who live on that lake may boat there, and an exemption is required.
Winter History
Ice sports are also part of Ankeveen’s history. The Ankeveense IJsclub was among the first clubs to organize family skating tours of 10 and 25 kilometers. The two distances give an idea of the range of these tours. Whether such an activity can take place depends on ice conditions, so check before a winter trip whether a tour is being offered. Since the late 1970s, marathon speed skating has also held an important place in Ankeveen.
Theater and Church Art
The De Dillewijn theater is housed in Ankeveen’s former Dutch Reformed church. The church building dates from 1907 and was designed by architect J. van Dillewijn of Hilversum. Today, the theater hosts performances, exhibitions, and musical acts. If you’d like to combine your visit with an event, check the schedule.
The Martinuskerk also preserves remarkable details of local history. It houses a funeral hatchment for Maria Elisabeth de Walé. Two three-dimensional façade stones, made in the studio of Ignatius van Logteren, are mounted on the tower wall. They come from the façade of the former twelve almshouses on Sticht End in Ankeveen. The stones’ origins connect a visible architectural detail with the history of these former almshouses.
Berg en Vaart and Its Historic Garden
The main house at Berg en Vaart was built between 1779 and 1782 in the Dutch Louis XVI style. The historic garden and park also date from the late 18th century and are designed on a small scale in the landscape style. Their layout and some of their decorative details have been well preserved. A vista runs from the front garden through the house and garden, across the pond, to the meadow behind the estate. The gardens are open to the public by arrangement; schedule a visit in advance.
The garden offers a different way to explore local history than the church art or theater: here, the focus is on design, landscape, and views. Another landmark is the Hollandse Molen, an octagonal polder mill in Ankeveen.
Discover more destinations: Loosdrecht, Breukeleveen, Nieuw-Loosdrecht, Nederhorst Den Berg, ’S-Graveland, Oud-Loosdrecht, Kortenhoef.
For the broader travel overview: Wijdemeren.
