Through the heart of Westerwolde

From Gasterij Natuurlijk Smeerling, you drive to Ter Apel, a route featuring abundant 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. Within the first few hundred meters, you are immediately introduced to the Ruiten Aa valley. Besides a refreshing silence, you will find ash trees covered with grain and grasslands bordered by hedgerows. After cycling a few kilometers through the vast Groningen fields, you enter the Sellinger Forests along the Ruiten Aa. Here you will also find the Theater of Nature, a unique nature viewing hill. Near Ter Apel, you pass the famous medieval Crosier monastery from 1465, a building that belongs to the Top 100 of Dutch UNESCO monuments.