Information Centre Mar en Klif
“Anyone intending to make their way through South West Friesland should ideally call into our office first,” is the opinion of Henk Dijkstra, who is manager of Mar en Klif Information Centre, located along the Brink, in Oudemirdum. The centre provides visitors with information about the culture, the natural landscape and countryside in the area. The aim is to make sure that people venture out armed with a good amount of knowledge. In this way they are able to derive much greater pleasure from their trips through the Frisian countryside.
Useful information about South West Friesland and Gaasterland is presented to the public in an attractive format. A permanent display with lively images tells visitors about natural landscape features such as woods, water and farmland. It sets out to create an impression in the widest sense of the word. Not only is the way the various natural landscape elements came into being explained but their recreational use is also demonstrated.
Following in the tracks of the badger
As a unifying factor among all the elements it was decided to use the badger as a theme. This rare nocturnal animal is related to the Mustelidae family that also includes the polecat, the stoat and the otter. To encourage people to make their way through the display effectively a set of badger tracks literally runs along the floor. Mar en Klif also stages changing exhibitions and while these are always about different topics they all relate to the region or nature. Slide shows about South West Friesland and the badger take place in a special projection room and consist of separate versions for adults and for children.
Botanical Garden
To show those who are interested in the plants that can be found in Gaasterland, a special botanical garden has been created. The flora in the region is extremely varied, in part because of the rivers that flow into the IJsselmeer. Seeds have been carried along and found their way to this part of Friesland. Some of the plants originated from as faraway as eastern Germany. Though the botanical garden covers a mere 200 m?, it contains a wealth of information. The garden is divided roughly into five sections: a butterfly corner, a pond and marshy area, an area of heath, a meadow section, and well as a ‘stinzen’ corner, displaying a range of geophytes that have been introduced over the ages by those who built ‘stinzen’ or stone houses.
Groups
The Information Centre also welcomes groups and special arrangements are made to enable them to learn about South West Friesland in an entertaining way. A special educational programme for schools is offered which introduces children both inside and outdoors in a playful manner to one of Friesland’s most beautiful areas.
New activities for children
New activities continue to be organised. It is now also possible to hold children’s parties at the centre. For pre-schoolers there is a ‘gnomes path’. This path presents an interactive route that is specially designed for children between the ages of 3 to 6 years. When following this path of a couple of hundred metres, little investigators will encounter gnomes that give them some little tasks to complete. These tasks mostly involve the senses and invite the young children to search for colours, shapes, to listen, sing, touch and sniff.
For children between 6 and 10 years there is a task route, It Spjochtepaad, which is Frisian for Woodpecker Path. At the task location “woodpeckers” (small notices) showing a number have been fixed to the trees at a height of about five metres. These match the task cards in the woodpecker chest. Learning is turned into an adventure!
Gaasterland Nature Week
An annual event every autumn school holidays is Gaasterland Nature Week, the result of a cooperative effort between the Mar en Klif Information Centre and nature organisations in the region. The programme consists of exhibitions and a variety of entertaining and educational activities, including conducted excursions with a guide. Also included in the programme are Activity Afternoons. All these make Gaasterland Nature Week an enjoyable initiative for adults and children alike.
Mar en Klif Information Centre is subsidised by Gaasterlân-Sleat and receives support from the nature organisations mention above.
