Enumatil-Midwolde-Nienoord route

Description, sights and things worth knowing

Until Enumatil the trip goes over the road (Hoendiep East side) along the Hoendiep. This waterway was dug in the 17th century and was part of the first waterway between the city of Groningen and Friesland. After Briltil it continued westward under the name Kolonelsdiep. (This deep is described at the Abel Tasman Kolonelsdiep route, no. 1860545).

In Enumatil the route continues over the beautiful antique swing bridge. At Tante Til in the Dorpsstraat it is very pleasant 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 to the left and right of this low moor area.

The cycle path continued until the 1960s. With the construction of the A7 motorway, cyclists have to make a small detour via junction 50. The Hoofdstraat forms the age-old connection between the Vredewold area and the city of Groningen. The route goes along 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 tomb at the back of the church. It was commissioned by Anna van Ewsum van Nienoord in 1664-1669 by Rombout Verhulst. It is lavishly decorated with allegorical sculpture. Then there is the beautiful pulpit, also with allegorical carvings. Opposite the pulpit is the Heren (van Nienoord) bench. Remarkable detail: the decorated bench has to be climbed via a staircase. The noble lords and ladies sat higher than the minister on the pulpit, the difference in status had to be clearly visible.

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

Landgoed Nienoord is the goal of this cycling tour. The history of the Nienoord deposit goes back to the beginning of the 16th century. In 1525 Squire Wigbold van Ewsum had'Nije Oord\\\' built for peat reclamation 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, Wigbold's last descendant. She had the deposit and the church of Midwolde richly decorated. After this golden period, the deposit fell into disrepair. In 1846 the building burned down completely. The current new building dates from 1887. The last residents died tragically. They drowned in the Hoendiep in 1907 on their way from Groningen to Leek. Their carriage hit the water in the dense 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. It is best for the visitor to start with orientation in the Information Center in the car park.

You enter Leek via the southern entrance of the driveway of the estate. 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 follows a cycle path to the right over the round wooden bridge. This leads to the Leekstermeer and offers the opportunity to cycle around the lake (\\\'Rondje Leekstermeer\\\', number 1868949 on Route.nl).

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

Via junction 50 the bike ride along the Hoofdstraat leads to Oostwold. At junction 49, the route turns left, past the church (now the studio) and left again in the bend, onto the Kerkeweg. You will return to the lower peat area. You can clearly see how Oostwold lies at the end of the sand ridge Marum, Nuis, Niebert, Tolbert, Midwolde, Lettelbert and Oostwold. The village is surrounded on three sides by lower land.

The tour continues to junction 20. On the way you 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 junction with the Zuiderweg. Then turn right towards Zuidhorn. In Zuidhorn (described at'moorings\\\' on the website'Tasmanroutes.nl\\\') you can go from the center back to Briltil, junction 48.