Across the Besthmenerberg: forest, heath and the finest view in Ommen
6 km · 1h 30m · Moderate
Nature
De Sahara near Ommen
Vechtdal
Imagine standing in the heart of the Vechtdal and suddenly feeling your shoes fill with sand. Between Ommen and the hamlets of Zeesse and Junne lies De Sahara: a sweeping drift-sand area where the wind still has free rein. Open sand flats alternate with fragrant pine forest, and in the sun the sand glints as if you were far from Overijssel.
A desert with a story
The name evokes Africa, but the sand has belonged here for centuries. Around 1840 the baron van Pallandt of nearby Landgoed Eerde had pines planted to tame the drifting, after overgrazing and the cutting of heath had stripped the soil bare. What you see today is therefore both nature and history: a landscape people once tried to pin down and that is now allowed to move again.
Room for wind and sand
Between 2018 and 2020 Staatsbosbeheer removed forest and vegetation here to let the drift sand breathe again and to connect De Sahara with the adjoining sand area. The result is a wide expanse where the wind shifts the sand and where you can literally watch the seasons working in the relief beneath your feet.
What you experience here
Pull on your walking boots and follow the marked routes through sand and forest, or let the children run wild in this enormous sandpit. Early in the morning, when the dew still rests on the pine, the area feels almost untouched. Enjoy it, but stay on the paths where asked, so this fragile landscape can keep on drifting.
Best seasons
Spring · Summer · Autumn
Things to do
- Walking
- Cycling
- Playing in the sand
- Nature photography
In the area
Location
Address
Vechtdal
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Frequently asked questions
Where exactly is De Sahara?
De Sahara lies east of Ommen, between the hamlets of Zeesse and Junne in the Vechtdal in Overijssel.
How did this drift sand form?
Overgrazing and the cutting of heath once left the soil bare, so the sand began to drift. Around 1840 pine forest was planted to tame it; since 2018-2020 Staatsbosbeheer deliberately lets the sand move again.
Is De Sahara suitable for children?
Certainly. The open sand flats form a giant sandpit where children can play happily while you walk the marked paths.
