Turfvaart

Here you can see the Turfvaart, which was dug in the 17th century for the extraction of peat. This area served as an important source of peat, a fuel that was often extracted from the soil in the past. The peat was transported to ports such as Breda or Antwerp via the Turfvaart. Peat extraction provided significant employment in this region.

But what exactly is peat? In moist swampy areas, dead plants accumulated over hundreds, if not thousands of years, creating a peat layer several meters thick. This was then excavated and the blocks laid to dry. This is how peat was created. Such a bundle of dried plant remains formed an extremely efficient fuel. From the peat areas, the peat was transported by cart or peat ship to the inhabited world.