Where the Dutch border is close by, but you are just not yet in Germany. There you will find the most colorful campsite in the Netherlands. With Floortje Dessing as the figurehead, you already know that Camping BuitenLand is not just any campsite. Floortje is one of the friends who bought an overgrown campsite in 2017 to create a new paradise there. Three camping seasons later, it is a green retreat with camping pitches and very special houses.
Camping BuitenLand doesn’t have the usual mobile homes, but unique self-build plots for private individuals: every self-builder was allowed to build his own tiny house here. It is immediately clear that all creativity was used and the self-builders have realized their ultimate dream houses. From teepees to domes, from wooden cabins to an old local bus, from a small church to a glass conservatory. The result is an eclectic village of unique creations, or in your own words ‘a kind of open-air museum for architecture’.
The creative builders not only enjoy their creations themselves, but via BuitenLand you can also rent them for a holiday in our country. We spend a few days in this colorful community and the impressive Blues Barn was our home. It is one of the tallest houses on BuitenLand with high windows and six sleeping places. Inside there is a lot of light and wood and a beautiful high ceiling.
Downstairs is a round dining table, a sitting area with wood stove, a spacious kitchen and – in the back – the master bedroom and bathroom. Via a spiral staircase you reach the first floor with two smaller bedrooms with two single beds each. The special design and the large, open space are very beautiful. But the real eye-catcher is probably the unique interior in retro style. The vintage theme has been used for every single detail and gives the Blues Barn a unique vibe.
Even during these Covid-19 days, BuiteLand has a cozy vibe with campfires and children playing. Campers are not there yet, because the toilet blocks – and also the bar area – must now remain closed due to the temporary lockdown restrictions. But all self-builders use this chance to retreat to their own dream house in nature. From the campsite, it’s just a few steps to the forest for long walks through the landscape of Drenthe. Another closeby attraction is the swimming lake De Zandpol with a wide sandy beach and free access.
While the temperatures break April records, we enjoy long walks. In the Blues Barn, the Covid-19 isolation suddenly doesn’t feel that bad anymore. In the meantime, we walk in the forest and around the campsite to admire all creative constructions. We must refrain ourselves from peeking through all the windows, so after every walk we check out the photos of the uniqe houses online. If BuitenLand would ever decide to sell some more lots, wouldn’t we ourselves…?
