Through the heart of Westerwolde

From Gasterij Natuurlijk Smeerling you cycle 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 region of Westerwolde. The first few hundred meters you immediately get to know the valley of the Ruiten Aa. In addition to a refreshing silence, you will find here grain-covered ash trees and grasslands that are bordered with hedgerows. After having cycled a few kilometers through the vast Groningen fields, you cycle into the Sellingerbossen near the Ruiten Aa. Here you will also find the Theater van de Natuur, a unique nature viewing hill. Near Ter Apel you will pass the famous medieval Kruisherenklooster from 1465, a building that is among the Top 100 Dutch UNESCO monuments.