Rottige Meente, which translates loosely as ‘rotten territory’, is a strange name for a spectacularly beautiful wetland nature reserve southwest of the town of Wolvega. This former peatland with its alternating strips of water and land provides habitat for many rare plants and animals. The pristine quality of the water has encouraged otters to return to the area! Features associated with the peat mining that took place here in the past, such as old sluices, small windmills and turf dwellings, can be seen throughout the reserve. Little villages, such as Munnekeburen, Scherpenzeel, Spanga and Nijetrijne on the edge of the reserve are reminiscent of Giethoorn, which is often described as a rural version of Venice. You can enter the reserve from the car park on P. Stuyvesantweg road in the village of Nijetrijne. There are several hiking trails and cycle paths that lead past peat pits, swamp forests and floating mat bogs.
