National Park De Drentsche Aa

Saxon farms around the village green, fields on the rounded ash trees and hayfields in the lower stream valley: in the Drentsche Aa National Park, the unique atmosphere and identity of the old esdorpen landscape has been preserved, simply because people took the landscape as it was. The result is an idyllic area where you almost literally cycle back in time. A unique experience in our man-made country. From the Kymmelsberg, a drifting dune near the village of Schipsborg, you have a beautiful view over the Drentsche Aa river valley. A little further on, you can walk into the Homanshof in Anloo if you want to know more about this national park.

In addition to the Drentsche Aa river valley (the river that is given a different name in almost every place it flows through), you will also cycle through quiet forests and vast heathlands. In the Gieten-Borger forestry, for example, you will cycle through a nature reserve of almost 3,000 hectares that consists of a mix of deciduous and coniferous forests, heathland and peat bogs. Here you will find the famous Boomkroonpad, an educational walk through the treetops. The route also takes you through picturesque villages such as Rolde, Grolloo and Gasteren, where you will see various authentic thatched farms.

During your bike ride you will pass a number of dolmens that give you a glimpse into a past that goes back 5000 years. Near the Drentsche Aa lies Dolmen D10, a fairly modest specimen. A little further on near Eext lies the small Dolmen D13 hidden in a huge hill. When this dolmen was investigated a hundred years ago, the capstone was missing. This was only added later. Some special finds have been made in this dolmen, such as pots containing burnt bones. Dolmen D14 is surprisingly complete. And large. You wonder how people with simple tools ever managed to build such a structure. Near Rolde you will find Dolmen D17.