Orvelter route

Orvelte is first mentioned in 1362. Orvelte was reconstructed in the 1960s. The original green was outside the village. The reconstruction created the typical image of the esdorp with a central green. This village does not appear on the 1832 cadastral maps used as the basis for the reconstruction. Of the original 17 farms from 1832, 8 remain. The open spaces in the village are filled with historic farms from elsewhere. Since 1967 Orvelte has been a protected village view and at the same time a kind of open-air museum: including a 19th century dairy factory, a sawmill, clog factory, blacksmith shop, various farms, village café, shop and toll house. A farmhouse from the Iron Age has been reconstructed on the outskirts of Orvelte. The area around Orvelte is also decorated as if it were 1900: heathland, greenlands and the camps (small-scale reclamations). The Noordesch is the oldest ash in Orvelte. The layout (recorded in 1630) consists of 50 plots on which mainly flax and white rye are grown.
The only flax factory in Drenthe was located on the Orange Canal.

Zweeloo
Zweeloo and Aalden form a double village with the Aelderstroom in between. Zweeloo originated around 1300. The beautiful reformed church outside the village dates from the second half of the 13th century. In 1952, the grave of the Princess of Zweeloo was found near the church. The clothing and jewelry of the found woman can be seen in the Drents Museum. Near the church is the oldest part of Zweeloo with beautiful old farms.

Aalden
Aalden probably originated around 1350 between the Westerstroom and the Aalderstroom on the east side on a sand hump. The oldest farms can be found on the south side of the village. The most famous farm is the'Hoes van Hol An\\\' from 1688. Opposite is the Brink with the old sheepfold and old weighing house. Aalden has had a windmill since 1652. The current mill'Jantina Helling\\' was built in 1891.

Mantinger field
The Balinger and Mantingerzand are known for their drift sand hills and their juniper shrubs. The juniper is a strange shrub. However, half of the Netherlands does not know it, in contrast to the jenever itself. Gin used to be a popular drink in times of poverty and misery. Times In the 13th century, the oldest known Dutch name for the shrub was Jeneuver or Jeniever. The drink thus takes its name from the seasoning, the berries of this shrub. Most of the junipers on the Mantingerveld are old shrubs, some of which are more than 100 years old.

Mantingerbosch and meadows
The Mantingerbos and meadows are located in the stream valley of the Oude Diep. It consists of alder groves, grassland and hedgerows. Characteristic of the area are 17 species of brambles, lichens and brackens. Kestrels and long-eared owls breed in a piece of old forest with mainly holly.

Scharreveld
Originally, the Scharreveld area consisted of four separate heathlands. The best known are the Holtherzand and the Boekweitenplas. The Holtherzand is mainly a dry heathland. The other areas, including the Boekweitenplas, the name refers to the cultivation of Buckwheat, are mainly wet heathlands.

Westerbork
Westerbork is already mentioned in 1206. In 1206 Westerbork already had a chapel, which was converted into a church in 1283. The current church dates from the 14th century with 3 bells in the tower: one from the 14th century, one from 1727 and the last one from 1956. After the Second World War, Westerbork has grown into the touristic core of the municipality of Midden-Drenthe. Westerbork has also become known for the former Camp Westerbork with the Memorial Center; however, both are 12 km away on the outskirts of Hooghalen.