Discover the Hoge Berg

In the Hoge Berg area you will see drinking pools in many of the meadows. These are known as ‘kolken’, meaning ‘swirls’ in the local dialect. They have a diameter of between five to ten metres. Rainwater doesn’t seep into the ground due to boulder clay forming a poorly permeable layer in the soil. These pools were dug out to provide a continuous supply of fresh water for livestock. They also used to provide drinking water for people as well!

Protected

In the second half of the previous century, many of these pools were filled with soil again as the farmers no longer needed them. On the Hoge Berg they are now part of the protected landscape.

Plants and animals

Unusual water plants sometimes grow in the pools, such as floating pondweed, water crowfoot, water purslane and lesser marshwort. Smooth newts, natterjack toads and frogs are also found in the pools.