Boomkroonpad

The Boomkroonpad opened in 1996 in the state forest at Drouwen as the first canopy walkway in the Netherlands: a raised walk of about a hundred and twenty-five metres carried through the crowns of Douglas fir and beech, rising to around twenty-two metres, with a tower at the far end and interpretation about what lives at each level of the forest - which is more interesting than it sounds, because the canopy is a habitat almost nobody sees. The second half is the unexpected part: the route descends and continues into a tunnel driven through the forest soil with glass panels in the side walls, so visitors walk through the ground looking sideways into the root zone and the soil profile. Above and below in one route. There is an adventure trail and a play area, and the Drenthe hunebedden are a few kilometres away at Borger.

What to look for

• A walk through the crowns - a hundred and twenty-five metres at up to twenty-two metres up.
• A soil tunnel - the route continuing underground with glass into the root zone.
• Two habitats in one route - canopy and soil, both usually invisible.
• A tower at the end - above the canopy for the wider view.

When to go

April to October. Half a day.

Practical notes

Seasonal opening, closed in winter. It is short - a couple of hours. Busy with families in holidays. The walkway closes in high wind. Public transport is poor.

Nearby

The Borger hunebed, the largest in the country, is five kilometres away.

Key facts