Most of Netherland used to be peat, but there's almost nothing left now. From about the 10th century onward, it's slowly all been turned into farmland or lakes. Sometimes both. This is the process that really created the country, both geographically and politically.
Some areas used to be strips of water / land, but too much peat was dug out, storms washed the remaining land strips into the water beside it, creating a regular lake. For example some lakes in Giethoorn area were formed like this.
Like most lakes in the NL these tend to be shallow (~1.5-2m depth is common, even the biggest lake -Ijsselmeer- is only about 5..6m in deepest areas).
Ijsselmeer is a different kind of lake; not created by digging out peat, but a (violent) sea inlet that was closed off. The many peat lakes didn't start out as strips of land, but as endless peat swamp. Much of that was drained through drainage ditches and turned into agricultural land. Other parts were dug up for fuel, creating those massive lakes. In the latter case, they sometimes left those strips of land to transport the fuel.
Ijsselmeer is a different kind of lake; not created by digging out peat, but a (violent) sea inlet that was closed off.
Hmm yes, 'everybody' in the NL is aware of that.
In the latter case, they sometimes left those strips of land to transport the fuel.
Not really. The turf blocks would be stacked in piles & left to dry for a while. But then often transported by boat (through the newly created channels). The leftover strips of land could be used to have men, or a horse, pull such boats on a rope.
Comments
Most of Netherland used to be peat, but there's almost nothing left now. From about the 10th century onward, it's slowly all been turned into farmland or lakes. Sometimes both. This is the process that really created the country, both geographically and politically.
Some areas used to be strips of water / land, but too much peat was dug out, storms washed the remaining land strips into the water beside it, creating a regular lake. For example some lakes in Giethoorn area were formed like this.
Like most lakes in the NL these tend to be shallow (~1.5-2m depth is common, even the biggest lake -Ijsselmeer- is only about 5..6m in deepest areas).
Ijsselmeer is a different kind of lake; not created by digging out peat, but a (violent) sea inlet that was closed off. The many peat lakes didn't start out as strips of land, but as endless peat swamp. Much of that was drained through drainage ditches and turned into agricultural land. Other parts were dug up for fuel, creating those massive lakes. In the latter case, they sometimes left those strips of land to transport the fuel.
Hmm yes, 'everybody' in the NL is aware of that.
Not really. The turf blocks would be stacked in piles & left to dry for a while. But then often transported by boat (through the newly created channels). The leftover strips of land could be used to have men, or a horse, pull such boats on a rope.