A journey through time through the Noordenveld game 40 km

Veenhuizen, Norg, Allardsoog

A dingspel (or dingspil) is a historical legal district dating back to the early Middle Ages. The Drenthe Landscape, the predecessor of the province of Drenthe, consisted of six dingspels. Noordenveld was the fifth dingspel. All the places you cycle through on this route fell within this fifth dingspel.

But the history of the Noordenveld goes back even further. This region, located on the Drents Plateau, was shaped by the penultimate ice age. The first habitation dates back to the late Stone Age, around 11,000 BC. Hand axes from the first hunter-gatherers who settled here have been found in the soil. The dolmens also provide traces of prehistoric populations. Along the route, you can visit Dolmen D2.

You'll cycle further into the Middle Ages, the period when the Noordenveld district was formed. This era was primarily characterized by power struggles. Yet, the region remained relatively stable and independent throughout this time. Roaming and plundering gangs were kept out by a border wall: the Landweer Allardsoog. Discover this defensive structure—now a national monument—along the route.

Next, we enter the Eighty Years' War (1568-1648). From Groningen, the Spanish armies advanced towards the Noordenveld, with the aim of conquering Friesland. At the time, the old road over the Zwartendijksterschans was the only connecting road between Drenthe and Friesland. The inhabitants of the Noordenveld thought they could prevent this by building a redoubt on the dike in 1593, but the Spanish managed to bypass the redoubt unnoticed. We won't let you pass the redoubt unnoticed today. Stop at this stop and learn more about this military stronghold.

Then you cycle into the 18th and 19th centuries, after the Batavian Republic was established in 1795 as part of the French Republic. In 1806, Napoleon proclaimed the 'United Kingdom of the Netherlands' and placed his brother Louis Napoleon at its helm. After his fall in 1813, Napoleon left the country in poverty. In 1817, General Johannes van den Bosch came up with a plan to solve the poverty and sky-high unemployment rates. The Society of Benevolence was founded, and seven agricultural colonies were established, including Veenhuizen. You cycle past the domed church, the prison, and the information center of this Colony of Benevolence.

End your historical journey with a tribute to the victims of World War II. Visit the impressive monument where ten Dutch prisoners were executed and buried by the Germans.

This route takes you on an unforgettable journey through time, full of captivating stories and historical highlights that you shouldn't miss!