Jaap van 't Veen's photos with the keyword: Paterswolde

Friese Veen (also called Friescheveen ) is a nature reserve - adjacent to Huis Vennebroek - which actually consists of two parts. The Friese Veen itself is a small lake that is difficult to access. It was created in the middle of the 18th century by dredging peat, which was used as fuel. This dredging was done by Friese workers - inhabitants of the Dutch province of Friesland. That gave the area its name. The lake surrounded by swamp forest is separated by a low sandy dike from the polder Camphuis . This polder has not been drained since 1994, allowing nature to take its course. The original meadow has slowly but surely changed into a rough swamp, in which many species of birds can be found. The polder owes its name to P.A. Camphuis, who bought the entire area to build a villa in 1906. (I couldn't take a proper picture from the Friese Veen itself, because its banks were inaccessible and a viewpoint was closed due to the corona crisis. Therefore only a few pictures of the polder.)

Landgoed De Braak (De Braak Estate) already existed around 1700. Lieutenant E.F. ter Voet van Schelfhorst was then the owner, who was married to Miss Von Braake. Probably the estate was named after her; another possibility is that the name was derived from "broek" = low marshy land. The original country house De Braeke stood between two ponds. The house became uninhabited and was demolished in 1896. Parts of the mansion were used in 1916 for the renovation of the current house of the caretaker of the area (PiP4). De Braak now consists of a monumental park forest with ponds, imposing - often centuries-old – trees, rhododendron bushes and meadows. The well-known garden architect Roodbaard designed the park in 1825. The park also offers a berceau and a maze of hornbeams. The estate is known for its flowering spring plants, such as snowdrops, wood anemones and daffodils. Since 1920 De Braak has been owned by Natuurmonumenten , a society for preservation of nature monuments in the Netherlands. The estate is freely accessible.

Not much is known about the origins of Huis Vennebroek (Manor Vennebroek). From 1689 to 1747 the house had the so-called right of havezate (manor or fortified house). In 1768 the manor was mentioned in an advertisement in a local newspaper. In 1848, Jonkheer Hooft van Iddekinge rebuilt the house extensively, retaining a large part of the basement and the ground floor. In 1912 the estate was bought by P.A. Camphuis, a merchant from Groningen. He was also the owner of the adjacent Friesche Veen estate; Vennebroek and Friesche Veen have formed a unit ever since. Camphuis restored the house, but did not stay there long. The manor remained in the family for a long time; the wife of his eldest son lived there until her death in 1994. Around 1985 the house and the estates became the property of Natuurmonumenten (Society for preservation of nature monuments in the Netherlands). Since 2014 the house has been privately owned and inhabited again. Huis Vennebroek is surrounded by a horseshoe-shaped moat. The estate has many old beeches and chestnuts; the oldest is more than 300 years. In the autumn the estate is known for its many species of mushrooms.