Through the heart of Westerwolde

From Gasterij Natural Smeerling you drive to Ter Apel, a route with lots of natural beauty and Groningen cultural history. Central to this route is the idyllic stream valley of the Ruiten Aa, the heart of the Groningen Westerwolde region. The first few hundred meters you immediately become acquainted with the Ruiten Aa valley. In addition to a refreshing silence, you will find grain-covered ash trees and grasslands lined with windbreaks. After riding a few kilometers through the vast Groningen fields, you cycle into the Sellingerbossen near the Ruiten Aa. You will also find the Theater of Nature here, a unique nature viewing hill. At Ter Apel you will pass the famous medieval Crosier monastery from 1465, a building that is among the Top 100 of Dutch UNESCO monuments.