"An unusual natural environment" a Giethoorn Travel Page by ATLC

When I was 17 I spent a group vacation week here in Giethoorn. We went out onto the Wieden (Beulaker) daily with the 'punters' ,a narrow open boat that is moved along like the gondola's in Venice.

There are quite a few places around Meppel (main town in the area) that are worth visiting. However, Meppel is on the brink of two provinces, so you would not be able to detect that if you look at my Travel Page.

You could easily cycle between these places. It's a lovely rural area.
Like: Meppel-Staphorst-Giethoorn-Meppel
Or: Meppel-Ruinerwold-Frederiksoord-Vledder-Meppel
Or: Meppel-Steenwijk-Giethoorn-Kolderveen-Meppel
Or: Meppel-Ruinerwold-Kallenkote-Schiphorst-Meppel
Or: Meppel-Staphorst-Zwolle-Meppel

So here goes:

Kolderveen (very rural, dairy farm icecream)
Steenwijk (small town, Unesco heritage site)
Giethoorn (Venice of the north)
Staphorst (beautiful old farms)
Ruinerwold(stone's throw from Meppel)
Kallenkote (Indonesian bird park)
Frederiksoord(colony of welfare)
Vledder(small village, museum of fake art)
Zwolle (largest town in the area)
Meppel (lively nightlife, shopping, printing museum)
Schiphorst (stately home as exclusive hotel/restaurant, stork farm)