Art and Landscape Route

A varied cycling tour, certainly as far as nature is concerned. Cycling along the only forest reserve in the province of Groningen, but also along young recreated nature around the Westerwoldse Aa, which regained its original meandering course. But this border region also has a rich history: a fortress, a medieval hamlet and a witch's mountain. The 'public works of art' during the tour tell of that history and the folk tales. Let me introduce myself Debora Loning is the owner of Parktuin De Entourage. A natural camping site with ten places for tents, caravans or campers, a guest house, but also a beautifully landscaped park garden, inspired by the Groningen winding garden. Debora is very actively involved in promoting her 'nature-rich' habitat. In addition, she organizes exhibitions in her park garden and was a board member of Museum de Oude Wolden in Bellingwolde for some time. No wonder that she has combined nature and art in this route. The route The route starts off well, with cycling over a monument. The planting along the J. Buiskoolweg dates from around 1928. Landscape architect Vroom was commissioned at the time to plant the road with ornamental shrubs. Special and for that reason Rijksmonumenten decided in 2001 to declare the entire road a monument. Fortress Bourtange, founded in 1580, closed in 1851 and then rebuilt from 1960 to the situation of 1742, the heyday of the fortress. On the main road to the fortress two'guards\\\' by Adrienne Morrien and Marthe Roling and on the wall of the Willem Lodewijckschool a special relief. Through a wide area towards Sellingen. At junction 16 off the route for the Hasseberg, the highest point in the province, you must have been there! After Sellingen a round around Ter Borg, possibly founded in the Middle Ages, consisting of four farms, three of which have the status of national monument. The Theatre of Nature (1994) underlines the significance of the new nature around Sellingen and is a concept by Adriaan Nette. In 1996, the artist started on the stairs. Since that year, a new hard stone step has been added almost every year with a text by a guest theatre maker. On to Jipsinghuizen. During the work provision in 1924, the trams arrived there with unemployed people who had to develop the surrounding heathland. The sculpture 'The Hell of Jipsinghuizen' is a reminder of that time. At junction 41, you will see the Lieftinghsbroek on the right, the only forest reserve in the province of Groningen. After the Metbroekbos, a beautiful nature reserve, you arrive in Vlagtwedde, where the 'Monument for Allied Soldiers' (1950) can be found near the church. To then cycle the last few kilometres via Veelerveen along the artwork 'Moor' by Frank Sciarone (1997), back to the Entourage. Specially recommended National Monument J. Buiskoolweg The current planting dates from around 1928. Landscape architect Vroom was commissioned to plant the road with ornamental shrubs. The purchase of an extensive and expensive assortment of trees and shrubs had to alleviate the crisis, which the Dutch tree nurseries were also experiencing at the time. Yew (poison tree), Ilex (holly), Rhododendron, Forsythia (Chinese bellflower), Viburnum (snowball), Symphoricarpos (snowberry), Euonymus (cardinal's hat), Philadelphus (mock jasmine) and the Deutzia (bridal flower) in eleven kilometres of ornamental planting. Bourtange At the access road to the reconstructed fortress (Willem Lodewijkstraat) are two guards by Adrienne Morrien, for whom Marthe Roling was the model. On the wall of the Willem Lodewijckschool is a relief by Klaas van Dijk (1913 - 1990), Dutch sculptor and painter, member of the art circle De Ploeg. Hasseberg (at junction 16, the highest point in Groningen) The name is said to come from Hasje, an old woman who lured lonely travellers with a fire at night, so that they drowned in the surrounding swamp. In the centre of Sellingen is a sculpture of the witch Hasje. Nature reserve Ter Borg (between 34 and 19) In 1930, a large part of the heathland west of Ter Borg was planted with mainly conifers. Within the forest area, now a nature reserve, 35 hectares of heathland have been preserved, making it the largest contiguous heathland in the province of Groningen. Theater of Nature (between 33 and 14) It was a temporary object (Adriaan Nette) for a manifestation, but the theater remained. In the stone steps texts by Kees Stip, Harry Muskee, Jean Pierre Rawie, Rutger Kopland, Hagar Peeters, Jan Mulder and many others. Climb the hill and make up your own story! Hell of Jipsinghuizen (14) In Westerwolde at the beginning of the last century there was still a raised bog area that had to be developed. The initiator for the work creation was Jan Buiskool, mayor of Vlagtwedde and Delfzijl and national inspector of the work creation. The unemployed were taken by tram to Jipsinghuizen to develop the heathland in the vicinity of the village, including the Rhederveld. They spent the night in barracks camps. The employed were poorly paid. Many had received an education and were not used to heavy physical work. War Memorial (51) corner Kerkstraat/Schoolstraat The'Monument for Allied Soldiers\\\' from 1950 at the Dutch Reformed Church in Vlagtwedde, is a bronze statue of a saluting male figure with a heraldic shield, made by Lidi van Mourik Broekman (1917). The monument aims to symbolize'a salute to eternity\\\'.