Speulder-Sprielderbos

Website: staatsbosbeheer.nl/uit-in-the-nature/wandelroute-cultural-history-speulderbos

The Speulder-Sprielderbos is one of the oldest forests in the Netherlands which is about 3,300 hectares in size. The forest has been declared the most beautiful forest of the Netherlands by the Dutch Forestry Commission and is popularly known as the forest of "dancing trees. This is because especially near the hamlet of Drie, their whimsical shape makes them seem to dance. Keep your eyes open, towards the end of the route you will cycle through this beautiful piece of forest!  

In the Speulder-Sprielderbos you see many crooked trees, these were spared because they were less suitable for building boats. The high-altitude forest has the highest point at Drie, which is over 55 meters above sea level! The forest is quite nutrient-rich for red deer and wild boar. Other animal species in this area are the badger, the pine marten and the smooth snake. There are burial mounds in several places in the area. Deceased people were buried in a simple pit. Men were buried with their legs raised on their left side, while women lay on their right side facing south. For nearly two thousand years, this remained the most common method of burial. The pit was covered with a mound of sod and sand.