Stadskanaal, Gasselternijveen and Gieterveen

The village of Stadskanaal originated as a peat colony and grew over the years into a regional center. More and more buildings were built on the edge of the canal, which was constructed in the eighteenth century. After the Second World War, Stadskanaal grew strongly, partly due to the arrival of multinational Philips. You will find Gasselternijveen just west of Stadskanaal. Farmers from Gasselte settled on the sand ridges along the Hunze in the late Middle Ages. The reclamation of the peat started around 1635. Many canals were excavated and shipping developed strongly as a result. Many canals were filled in after the Second World War. There are still a number of skippers' houses in the village that remind of the old days. The route starts at Best Western Hotel Stadskanaal. The hotel was renovated in July 2013 and has a characteristic striking building in a quiet environment. The hotel distinguishes itself by its friendly and excellent service. There are 41 renovated luxury rooms that are fully equipped: a smart TV with free WiFi, a Dolce Gusto coffee machine and a minibar. We recommend that you spend the night in this beautiful hotel so that you can use our package with route 135883 and relax in the sauna of the hotel after your bike ride. From the hotel you depart in a westerly direction to windmill De Juffer. This mill replaces an earlier mill that was built here in 1841. The current mill was built in 1970 after the predecessor was demolished in 1963. The new mill is a round stone mill that is used as a corn mill. The mill now grinds on a voluntary basis and also serves as a wedding venue. You then cycle on to the Eendracht windmill. This beautiful mill was originally built in 1877 as an octagonal upper porter. After a fire in 1904, the mill was rebuilt as a round stone mill. The mill has a flight of almost 20 meters and functioned as a corn mill. The mill was last restored in 2008, during which the stone substructure was renewed and the interior and the hood of the mill restored. The mill is now out of operation, which is a pity, because standing still often means decline for a mill.