Wandelnetwerk Noord-Holland

In the early Middle Ages, the surroundings of the current Haarlemmermeer consisted largely of peatland. According to an old document, there once flowed a river 'flumen Fennepa’ there, which more or less translates as water flow through the meadow. Sand often collects at the bottom of such a river. If the surrounding peat then settles or caves, that soil rises to the surface. Islands referred to as Vennip remained after the area disappeared into the water and the Haarlemmermeer was created. Venneperdorp was founded after the reclamation of the lake and was soon afterwards christened Nieuw-Vennep. The real growth of Nieuw-Vennep only started after 1945. The population has since increased more than tenfold to about 30,000 inhabitants. There is also some interesting modern architecture there.

• The Centrum–Oost Route (red) leads to the old centre of Venneperdorp at the junction of the Venneperweg with the Hoofdvaart. The route leads through a park and walking forest, past a petting zoo and three churches, of which the white church on the Hoofdvaart in Nieuw-Vennep is the most striking. The surroundings get a bit of extra allure thanks to a Grand Café, a shopping centre and even a hotel called De Rustende Jager.
• The Linquenda Route (orange) is a surprisingly green and varied walk along city parks, through a business park, a park forest and back along the water through the Linquenda residential area. You will also visit the centre of Nieuw-Vennep, where there’s been a lot of investment in beautiful hornbeam trees.