The Belt-Schutsloot canoe route runs alongside the village and then through De Wieden. If you are considering Belt-Schutsloot as a travel destination, you will find specific points of interest here for nature and culture: waterways and a peatland landscape on one hand, and the Gondola Parade and a centuries-old reed-cutting tradition on the other.
Canals, small lakes and quaking bog
Along the canoe route, winding canals alternate with pools and small lakes; the route also passes through peatlands and by reed beds and flower-rich hay meadows. In De Wieden, it passes a rare stretch of quaking bog. There are also places along the route where flora and fauna are often rare. These are distinct landscape features that shape the waterway without merging into a single viewpoint.
One named pool is Stobbenkolkje, one of the bodies of water around Belt-Schutsloot. Yellow water-lilies and marsh calla grow there. Their names provide a specific connection to the plant life, while the canoe route as a whole passes through a changing mosaic of water, peatland and reeds.
Hiking the Stellingenpad and the Beltiger Kuierpad
The Stellingenpad also offers varied sections of trail. The Giethoorn–Belt-Schutsloot stage runs through low-lying peatland between Schutsloterwiede and Belterwiede. The fifth stage is 19.6 kilometres long and runs from Belt-Schutsloot via Vollenhove to Blokzijl. Its landscape includes lakes, ditches, dikes, swamp forests, pastures, canals, reed beds and quaking bogs. Check trail conditions before setting out.
At two kilometres, the Beltiger Kuierpad is considerably shorter than the fifth stage of the Stellingenpad. The trail runs through the De Wieden nature area and starts opposite the bridge at Arembergergracht. Along the way, a hand-pulled ferry crosses a ditch. A notice dated 11 July 2026 listed the Kuierpad as open; it is accessible each year outside the bird-breeding season. Check seasonal access before your hike.
Gondola Parade and local history
The Belt-Schutsloot Gondola Parade is organised by local residents and takes place every year on the second Friday in August. A colourful procession of illuminated gondolas with performances travels through the Schutsloot and onto the Kleine Belterwijde. The tradition has been going for more than 80 years. As the exact programme and date should be confirmed each year, it is worth checking the information for that year before planning your visit around it.
Reed cutting has been part of the village’s history for centuries; the craft is visible in the landscape. The architectural history also has a specific connection: Boerderij Havezathe de Belt is an 18th-century building on older foundations. According to tradition, it occupies the site of an earlier havezate. The building dates from the 18th century and stands on older foundations; according to tradition, it occupies the site of an earlier havezate.
Getting there and practical information
Bus route 70 between Steenwijk and Zwolle serves the Belt-Schutsloot stop on Belterweg. If you plan to use this connection to get there or continue your journey, check the timetable in advance. This lets you factor the bus connection into your plans without assuming a specific departure time.
Drivers hiking the fifth stage of the Stellingenpad are advised to use public car park P4 at Belterweg 15. Check parking availability before travelling. This gives you two specific details to help with planning: a bus connection with a named stop and a recommended car park for this hiking stage.
Discover more destinations: Wanneperveen, Steenwijkerwold, Steenwijk, Blokzijl, Kallenkote, Paasloo, Sint Jansklooster, Giethoorn
For the broader travel overview: Steenwijkerland.
