Enumatil-Midwolde-Nienoord route

Description, sights and things to know

Until Enumatil the trip takes the road (Hoendiep Oostzijde) along the Hoendiep. This waterway was dug in the 17th century and was part of the first waterway connection between the city of Groningen and Friesland. After Briltil it continued west under the name Kolonelsdiep. (This deep is described in the Abel Tasman Colonel Deep Route, no. 1860545).

In Enumatil the route continues over the beautiful antique swing bridge. At Aunt Til in the Dorpsstraat it is a very pleasant place to have a snack and a drink.
Via De Klap, over the Matsloot to the cycle path over the Lettelberterdijk. This path runs along the Lettelberterdiep, the waterway to the Leekstermeer. There are water basins on the left and right of this low peat area.

The cycle path continued as usual until the 1960s. With the construction of the A7 motorway, cyclists must make a small detour via junction 50. The Hoofdstraat forms the centuries-old connection between the Vredewold area and the city of Groningen. The route goes via this road past the church of Lettelbert to Midwolde.

The Romanesque church in Midwolde (with Gothic windows) was built in the 12th century. The nobility of Nienoord went to church here. The church is very worth seeing because of its interior. Visiting with a guide is recommended. First of all, attention is drawn to the beautiful mausoleum at the back of the church. It was commissioned by Anna van Ewsum van Nienoord in 1664-1669 and made by Rombout Verhulst. It is elaborately decorated with allegorical sculpture. Then there is the beautiful pulpit, also with allegorical carvings. Opposite the pulpit is the Heren (van Nienoord) pew. Remarkable detail: the decorated bench must be climbed via a staircase. The noble lords and ladies sat higher than the minister in the pulpit, the difference in status had to be clearly visible.

Cyclists can recover from their visit to the church on the terrace of the Inkies restaurant opposite the church. Both buildings are at the beginning of the driveway of Landgoed Nienoord. The route continues via this road.

The Nienoord estate is the destination of this cycling tour. The history of the Nienoord borg goes back to the beginning of the 16th century. In 1525, squire Wigbold van Ewsum had'Nije Oord\\\' built for peat extraction and peat cutting. The venture was successful and the house grew into the largest country house in the Northern Netherlands. The wealth continued to grow under Anna van Ewsum, the last descendant of Wigbold. She had the castle and the church of Midwolde richly decorated. After this golden period, the deposit fell into decline. In 1846 the building burned down completely. The current new building dates from 1887. The last residents tragically died. They drowned in 1907 on the way from Groningen to Leek in the Hoendiep. Their carriage sank into the water in the thick fog. The estate is now owned by the municipality.
There is plenty to see and experience on the estate: the borg with a grand café, the national carriage museum, the swimming castle, the petting zoo, the play park. The visitor can best start by orientating themselves in the Information Center in the parking lot.

You enter Leek via the southern entrance of the estate's driveway. The center of the village is 200 meters away.

The cycle route continues via the cycle path along the Leekster Hoofddiep. This deep connects Leek with the Leekstermeer. (Further on, a cycle path follows to the right over the round wooden bridge. This goes to the Leekstermeer and offers the opportunity to cycle around the lake (\\\'Rondje Leekstermeer\\\', number 1868949 on Route.nl).

There is a small lookout tower in the bend of the Leekster Hoofddiep and the Lettelberterdiep. It offers a beautiful view of the Leekstermeer and Pavilion Cnossen in the distance.

The cycle tour takes you via junction 50 along the Hoofdstraat to Oostwold. At junction 49 the route turns left, past the church (now studio) and in the bend turns left again onto the Kerkeweg. You return to the lower peat area. It is clearly visible how Oostwold is located at the end of the sand ridge Marum, Nuis, Niebert, Tolbert, Midwolde, Lettelbert and Oostwold. The village is surrounded by lower land on three sides.

The tour continues to junction 20. Along the way you will cross the Hoendiep. On the Westerdijk turn right towards Den Horn (junction 53). About 100 meters after the place name sign, the route turns left onto't Hornpad\\\'. Follow this until the intersection with the Zuiderweg. Then turn right towards Zuidhorn. In Zuidhorn (described under'mooring places\\\' on the website'Tasmanroutes.nl\\\') you can return from the center to Briltil, junction 48.