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On the border of Drenthe and Groningen you cycle through the former peat areas and Westerwolde. In this rural area you will discover surprising villages and nature reserves such as the Ruiten Aa, one of the most beautiful stream valleys in the Netherlands.

Really Groningen
In the woods near Ter Borg there is still one of the few original Groningen heaths. Ter Borg itself is an authentic Groningen hamlet that has managed to retain its original identity. You will see, among other things, some old characteristic farms. In the valley of the Ruiten Aa it is wonderfully quiet cycling.

Drenthe peat colony
After Stadskanaal you cycle a few kilometers through the old peat area of Drenthe. You drive through Tweede Exloërmond where the old ribbon development has a length of no less than six kilometers. There are two more monumental shrinking farms on the Zuiderdiep: a type in which the back part (the stable and barn) is wider than the front house. They are recognizable by their Art Nouveau elements, just like the former Reformed Church from 1908. The buildings were designed by the peat colonial architect Klaas Prummel.

The emergence of Stadskanaal
At junction 47 you cross the Stadskanaal. This canal was completed in 1856 and was almost entirely dug with a shovel by Groningen and German workers. The canal has been of great importance in the development of the region. In the nineteenth century, the Stadskanaal was one of the busiest shipping routes in the Netherlands. Because waiting times at the locks ran up to several hours, cafes and shops were established in these places. This is how the towns Stadskanaal and Musselkanaal came into being. Another canal runs east of Stadskanaal: the AG Wildervanck Canal, a drainage canal that was dug in the late 1980s. The Pagedal is located on this canal: a nature reserve consisting of woods, meadows and a small lake.