Flint Route

Directions

• • An interesting departure point for this route is Borger. No fewer than eleven dolmens can be found in and around Borger. It’s no surprise Borger is often referred to as the dolmen capital of the Netherlands. The largest dolmen in the Netherlands can be found along Bronnegerstraat; twenty-three supporting stones carry the weight of nine capstones—some of which weigh more than 20,000 kilograms. 
  • From Borger, cycle towards Drouwen. The landscape alternates between spacious and forested. En route to the village of Drouwen, near to the hamlet of Bronneger, five dolmens are clumped together. One of these dolmens (the one furthest west) is probably the one that is photographed most often, owing to an oak tree has nestled into it.
  • The village of Drouwen is home to many charming farms. To the north of the small village lies Drouwenerzand. One hundred and fifty years ago, this was a wild sand dune, which threatened to subsume the small village. Pine forests were planted at the start of the 20th century to prevent this from happening. (Incidentally, a small part of the sand dune still remains.) 
  • The history of Drenthe’s farmers is represented more often along the so-called Flint Route. In the village of Borger, several farms in the modern village centre remind one of the village’s agricultural past. Along the remainders of the church brink, the striking medieval church tower has managed to hold its ground amid newer buildings.
  • The expansive forests surrounding Exloo and Odoorn also have their own history to tell. At the start of the 20th century, unemployed peat labourers and poor farmers were put to work to reclaim these former heaths, and plant trees. Today, the forestry of Odoorn is home to a sheep park, where hundreds of sheep graze. The objective in the park is to use the grazing sheep to recover the heath. Don’t forget to stop off at the watchtower atop the Poolshoogte hill.
  • A great place to have a rest is Eppiesbergje. This stone age burial mound is along the road between Odoorn and Valthe. The history of the burial mound is displayed on an information board. From here, you can enjoy magnificent views over the expansive landscape.
  • There is a delightful sheepfold along Exloo’s Hoofdstraat. Every day, the shepherd takes his herd of sheep onto heathland Molenveld.
  • For the (grand)children, Kabouterland (“gnome land”) is a great place to take a break from cycling! In this twilight-lit, giant “rabbit hole,” the youngest among us can spy on the lives of gnomes and small animals. 

• From Exloo, the route returns to Borger. High sandy soils with small esdorpen and forests, expansive peat settlements—the Flint Route is a lovely, varied bicycle route through De Hondsrug and Hunzevallei!