Zoutkamp, churches and the Verhildersum castle in the Marne
Het Hogeland, Groningen, The Netherlands
Cycling route: 1919896
Provided by: Abel Tasman
24.1 km
01:25 h
425 kcal
2 m
Description
Description
This route passes through the Marne, the area in the northwest of the province of Groningen. It was once part of Humsterland, the area that now lies south of the Marne. The border is formed by the Reitdiep. Originally, the Hunze river flowed straight from Groningen, north to the Wadden Sea. When the Lauwerszee was formed, around 800, a breakthrough occurred from the sea in the west, eastward to the Hunze. This is the Reitdiep. The Marne became an island until the old Hunze estuary silted up and was diked around 1200. Then it was connected to the rest of Groningen again.
It is a very fertile arable area with a long history of settlement. The Ewer mound dates from around the beginning of the common era. The trio of villages Vierhuizen-Ulrum-Leens-Wehe den Hoorn-Eenrum is located on mounds on a former salt marsh wall. The cycle tour takes you past three of these villages with their centuries-old churches. From 1922 to 1942, the Marne Railway also ran here, from Zoutkamp to Winsum. The former station buildings in Zoutkamp, Ulrum and Leens are still there. Verhildersum is located in Leens, the only one left of the fifteen fortresses that once stood in this area. The churches in the villages are famous for various reasons.
Description, sights and things to know
The cycling route starts in Zoutkamp. There is much to see and experience in this former fishing village at the mouth of the Reitdiep. More information at'Mooring places\\\' and'Visserijmuseum Zoutkamp\\\' on'Tasmanroutes.nl\\\'. From Zoutkamp the route takes you via junction 89 to Vierhuizen.
Vierhuizen has a famous church. This tuff church has been adapted, renovated many times and saved from destruction several times. Now it is a straight, closed hall church with enlarged round-arched windows and an indoor tower with a needle spire and a lion (from Evert Lewe's coat of arms) as a weather vane on top. In 2006, the church of Vierhuizen won the top prize in the television program"The Restoration\\\". With one million euros in prize money, a large-scale restoration was started in 2007.
Next to the church there is the octagonal mill "de Onderneming" from 1858.
The route takes you to Niekerk via junctions 14 and 23. There is also a famous church here. Built in the 13th century and restored in 1629. The money for the restoration came from lord Evert Lewe, collator of the church. As a shareholder of the West India Company, he shared in the loot from the Spanish silver fleet that Piet Hein had hijacked in 1628.
From junction 16 the route goes south past the Petruskerk, over the Rietemastraat and the Leenstertillen towards Houwerzijl. After the bridge over the Hunsingo Canal and the intersection with the Vlakkeriet, the route continues straight on the cycle path. The path ends at Hoofdstraat and there it turns right to Houwerzijl. Turn left towards the mound of Ewer, the mound that dates back to the beginning of the common era.
The route then goes via the Vliedorpsterweg and the cycle path along the Reitdiep back to Zoutkamp to end junction 90.
This route passes through the Marne, the area in the northwest of the province of Groningen. It was once part of Humsterland, the area that now lies south of the Marne. The border is formed by the Reitdiep. Originally, the Hunze river flowed straight from Groningen, north to the Wadden Sea. When the Lauwerszee was formed, around 800, a breakthrough occurred from the sea in the west, eastward to the Hunze. This is the Reitdiep. The Marne became an island until the old Hunze estuary silted up and was diked around 1200. Then it was connected to the rest of Groningen again.
It is a very fertile arable area with a long history of settlement. The Ewer mound dates from around the beginning of the common era. The trio of villages Vierhuizen-Ulrum-Leens-Wehe den Hoorn-Eenrum is located on mounds on a former salt marsh wall. The cycle tour takes you past three of these villages with their centuries-old churches. From 1922 to 1942, the Marne Railway also ran here, from Zoutkamp to Winsum. The former station buildings in Zoutkamp, Ulrum and Leens are still there. Verhildersum is located in Leens, the only one left of the fifteen fortresses that once stood in this area. The churches in the villages are famous for various reasons.
Description, sights and things to know
The cycling route starts in Zoutkamp. There is much to see and experience in this former fishing village at the mouth of the Reitdiep. More information at'Mooring places\\\' and'Visserijmuseum Zoutkamp\\\' on'Tasmanroutes.nl\\\'. From Zoutkamp the route takes you via junction 89 to Vierhuizen.
Vierhuizen has a famous church. This tuff church has been adapted, renovated many times and saved from destruction several times. Now it is a straight, closed hall church with enlarged round-arched windows and an indoor tower with a needle spire and a lion (from Evert Lewe's coat of arms) as a weather vane on top. In 2006, the church of Vierhuizen won the top prize in the television program"The Restoration\\\". With one million euros in prize money, a large-scale restoration was started in 2007.
Next to the church there is the octagonal mill "de Onderneming" from 1858.
The route takes you to Niekerk via junctions 14 and 23. There is also a famous church here. Built in the 13th century and restored in 1629. The money for the restoration came from lord Evert Lewe, collator of the church. As a shareholder of the West India Company, he shared in the loot from the Spanish silver fleet that Piet Hein had hijacked in 1628.
The route continues north via Hoofdstraat, Tilweg and Singel in Ulrum to junction 15 at the intersection with Leensterweg. It is worth taking a look around Ulrum and visiting the old church at H. de Cockstraat 5. The church is open daily from April to October from 10 am to 5 pm. Church and parsonage are famous because Reverend Hendrik de Cock started the Secession from here in 1834. His study can still be seen in the parsonage. In the church you can admire the crypt built by collator Evert Lewe and the Asinga bank with a beautiful rear bulkhead. The lion on the spire refers to Lewe's coat of arms.
The former train station is located on the northwest edge of Ulrum on the Spoorstraat.
The former train station is located on the northwest edge of Ulrum on the Spoorstraat.
From junction 15 the cycle tour goes to Leens, for a visit to the Verhildersum estate and the Petruskerk. The estate "tells the story of the Hogeland in the 19th century. About old nobility and new borg residents, an innovative, emerging peasantry and the agricultural workers" (www.verhildersum.nl). The Petruskerk, from the 12th century, is reminiscent of the Van Starkenborgh family, the noble residents of Verhildersum. The organ was built in 1734 by the famous Albertus Antoni Hinsz. Leens also has a beautiful former train station - now a police station, on the corner of R. Ritzemastraat.
From junction 16 the route goes south past the Petruskerk, over the Rietemastraat and the Leenstertillen towards Houwerzijl. After the bridge over the Hunsingo Canal and the intersection with the Vlakkeriet, the route continues straight on the cycle path. The path ends at Hoofdstraat and there it turns right to Houwerzijl. Turn left towards the mound of Ewer, the mound that dates back to the beginning of the common era.
The Tea Factory (Hoofdstraat 15-25) is located in Houwerzijl. This is a unique combination of a tea museum, tea shop and a tearoom for a simple cup of tea or an extensive tea table. A nice place to recover from the bike ride.
The route then goes via the Vliedorpsterweg and the cycle path along the Reitdiep back to Zoutkamp to end junction 90.
Height Profile
Directions
| # | Description | Distance | |
|---|---|---|---|
90 | 90 (9974RM, Het Hogeland, Groningen, The Netherlands) | 0.00 km | |
89 | 89 (Strandweg, 9974SL, Het Hogeland, Groningen, The Netherlands) | 1.12 km | |
14 | 14 (9975VV, Het Hogeland, Groningen, The Netherlands) | 4.77 km | |
23 | 23 (Panserweg, 9975VZ, Het Hogeland, Groningen, The Netherlands) | 5.93 km | |
15 | 15 (Leensterweg, 9971EA, Het Hogeland, Groningen, The Netherlands) | 10.11 km | |
16 | 16 (Zuster A. Westerhofstraat, 9965PH, Het Hogeland, Groningen, The Netherlands) | 15.09 km |
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