Notes from the host
Under the Oaks Farmhouse Near Outdoor Shakespeare Theatre Diever
'Under the Oaks’ - a large, well-equipped holiday farmhouse, dating from 1836 and situated in the centre of unspoilt Diever village (the farm is no longer operational, so there is no livestock present)
** Our village of Diever has been voted by Dutch consumers as being 1 of 4 of the best places to holiday in the Netherlands, also due to the beauty of the national parks and the friendliness of the people here! **
The vacation farmhouse:
- Our farmhouse will provide all amenities for a perfect stay in this historic Drenthe village which is situated at the heart of rural Netherlands and surrounded by areas of stunning natural beauty, including the largest wet-heathland in Western Europe at Dwingelderveld.
- Free Wi-Fi - Fast and secure (optic cable) wireless internet access throughout the farmhouse.
- Comfortable box spring beds and washbasin in 3 of the 4 twin bedrooms upstairs. The large double bedroom comes with a king-size box spring bed plus a large built-in wardrobe. The double bedroom also has a Smart TV plus Blu-ray player.
- Large main room, with high ceilings and large windows. There are two large corner sofas plus armchairs to easily accommodate even the largest of parties. A Smart TV gives access to American, British & other European TV stations and there is a sound system and Blu-ray player, plus a selection of movies on DVD, as well as a CD collection.
- Dining area with table that can be expanded to accommodate larger groups.
- Kitchen with all modern amenities, including separate full-size fridge/freezer
- The bathroom has a double swing door walk-in shower.
- Separate upstairs and downstairs WCs
- For children, there are cupboards full of soft toys, electronic / board games and books. While 2 cots, 2 high chairs and a baby bath will help accommodate our youngest guests.
- Safety features include fire extinguishers, fire blanket, smoke detectors and a stair gate
- Comprehensive English-language tourist information available covering Diever village and the surrounding areas (including Friesland, its islands and Overijssel), as well as most major tourist attractions in the Netherlands is provided.
- Library of books.
- Easy walking access to nearby grocery store, restaurants, bars, ice cream parlour, an award-winning bakery (one of the finest in the Netherlands!), souvenir shops, tourist office, as well as the village bird sanctuary, archaeological museum, megalithic stones and the Drents-Friese forest.
- Guests have exclusive use of the front farmhouse, which adjoins the owner's property. The house is entirely self-contained with two entrances for full privacy
- Well-behaved pets can be accommodated with prior notice (a maximum of 2 large dogs are permitted)
- Please note that this is a non-smoking accommodation
Nearby attractions:
- It is just a 10-minute walk to reach the forests of the Drents-Friese Wold (6,100 hectares / 15,070 acres), one of the largest National parks of the Netherlands, with its 32 marked walks & numerous cycle paths. Also situated close by to the National Park Dwingelderveld (3,692 hectares / 9,120 acres) - the largest moorland on the European Continent - with its 60 km (37 miles) of walking trails & 40 km (25 miles) of bicycle paths. Diever is at the center of an abundance of historical sites and attractions for adults and children of all ages. Diversity on your doorstep!
- It is less than 15 minutes to the Blue Lake - where you can swim safely as the water is constantly tested (swimming towels provided!), or just laze on the beach!
- Get a glimpse of life in the Netherlands during the 18th century at the 'working'
village of Orvelte. Visit the WWII transit camp at Westerbork – to where Anne Frank and her family were brought. Take in the many museums that will provide an interest to each member of your group. For teenagers, there are 18 fun parks and, for our younger guests, enchanting ‘fairy tale’ parks nearby. While the city of Groningen ('shop till you drop') & the German border are all less than an hour's drive, the provincial capital at Assen is just a 25-minute drive away! Not forgetting a day-out to the world-famous Emmen zoo, while, for those looking for sports activities: sailing, boat excursions & fishing can be enjoyed at Giethoorn (the ‘Venice of the North’). Also, there is an 18-hole golf course available in Havelte (14 km / 9 miles away).
- Want to visit the beach as well? The Frisian islands make a great day out, with some of the best beaches in the Netherlands:
Terschelling Island -
The ferry to Terschelling leaves from Harlingen, Friesland (1 hr 45 mins ferry crossing).
Ameland Island-
A ferry service runs from Holwerd, Friesland (45 minutes by catamaran or 120 mins by regular ferry). Excursions are available from Ameland to visit seal colonies on Robbeneiland.
Schiermonnikoog Island -
The ferry runs several times a day from Lauwersoog, Groningen (45 minutes crossing time).
The ports are around 1 1/2 hours from Diever.
The village of Diever -
Diever is located at the south-westerly tip of the province of Drenthe (approx. 2 hours east of Amsterdam), is renowned for the open-air productions of Shakespeare which have been re-enacted in its forest amphitheatre every summer since 1946. In the village, there is a grocery store, an award-winning bakery, a good variety of shops, cafés, bars, restaurants and a bank. There is a market, encircling the village’s 14th-century church, selling everything from clothes to local products – this is held in Diever every Monday throughout the Summer months.
There is also a Dutch National Tourist office in Diever with a wealth of information on the surrounding area.
So, whether it's picnicking in the forest, taking a dip in a forest bathing pool or going by horseback along one of the many marked trails, you won’t be disappointed by this area's rich heritage, its welcoming, English-speaking people and its unending choice of excursions and attractions. Come and visit the real Netherlands!
Accessibility:
- Diever is easily accessible from both Amsterdam Schiphol and Düsseldorf airports (both are 2 hours distance). A car is recommended (rental cars also available at both airports), although public transport (bus) just a few minutes’ walk away with links to the surrounding villages and towns. Nearest rail station is at Beilen (20 minutes away)
Using the farmhouse as a base to explore the Netherlands:
Are you looking for a central base from which to explore the Netherlands?
- apart from being able to explore the north and east of the country with ease, ‘Under the Oaks’ is also very centrally located for visiting both the south/south-west of the Netherlands, as well as the west of the country. The travelling times for reaching these areas are considerably shorter than travelling via the highway network in the west of the country, as our roads and highways here in the north and east are less congested.
- Being situated in the south-west corner of Drenthe, Diever is placed at the crossroads of three Dutch provinces - Drenthe, Overijssel and Friesland - all uniquely different to one another. So when you are in Drenthe, why not discover Friesland and Overijssel Provinces as well - the borders lie just 15 minutes away by car, with the highway just 11 km (7 miles) away!
Driving times from Diever to other parts of the Netherlands?
- it’s less than 2 hours from Diever to the southern city of Eindhoven (the Belgian border is just south of there).
A visit to Amsterdam while staying in Diever?
- many of our guests drive the 45 minutes to the suburbs of Almere, and then take the short train journey from there into Amsterdam city. It’s much easier to park your car outside the city and use the fast and efficient public transport from there!
Wishing to explore Rotterdam and The Hague in the south-west of the country as well?
- these cities are also just 90-120 minutes away. Again, travelling times from our region to these cities is faster than from many other parts of the country, as the highway network via Zwolle to Utrecht has lighter traffic.
We want you to have a wonderful and memorable vacation!
- It is our pleasure to be of assistance to you before and during your stay, and it is our priority to make sure that you will have a pleasant vacation.
- We are happy to offer any help in preparing your trip.
Please contact us with any questions you may have about the farmhouse, Diever, Drenthe or anything at all to do with the Netherlands!
Hosted byDavid & Monique Samson
