Paterswoldsemeer

Directions

• The village of Eelde is mentioned in a charter as early is 1139, with Paterswolde first appearing in 1447. Paterswolde is located in the far north of Drenthe, and a small part of the village, bordering the Meerweg, belongs to the province of Groningen. After the Second World War, Paterswolde merged with Eelde. The village is best known for the Paterswoldsemeer, also known as the Paterswoldermeer. The area is a firm favourite among ‘stadjers’, as Groningen city residents are known, because of its proximity, its parklike atmosphere and the recreational areas around the lake and the Friesche Veen. The cycle trail will take you past several estates.
• Start cycling towards Paterswolde and join the trail at Node 25, pedalling along the Meerweg that lies between the Paterswoldsemeer and the Friesche Veen, an area featuring swamp forest, water and reed beds that was created as a result of peat excavation in the first half of the 19th century. This nature reserve is part of the Vennebroek estate. There is also a beautiful manor on this estate. The current building dates from 1848 and the pond is surrounded by old beeches and chestnuts. The oldest of these trees is almost 300 years old and is almost 5 metres in circumference.
• In Paterswolde, the cycle trial takes you past De Braak estate, which consists, among other things, of a monumental park that was designed by 19th-century garden architect Roodbaard in the landscape style. It is characterised by its winding avenues, vistas and graceful ponds. At De Braak, you will also find a maze and a beech tree tunnel.
• You will cycle through Paterswolde, where you can visit the International Clog Museum, museum De Buitenplaats and the Eelde village church. Via a narrow road lined with trees, you will soon leave Paterswolde behind you,
• passing by Lemferdinge farm. We do not know exactly when Lemferdinge and the surrounding estate were built, but it is mentioned as early as 1447. It used to be home to a large country house with a moat and two barns, but the estate now consists of just one barn and gardens.
• You will also pass Vosbergen estate, which was built around 1900 after the Kraus-Groenevelds bought a farm and some forestland in 1890. The current park is laid out in the English Landscape style.
• As you pedal on, you will enjoy the beautiful polder landscape, before reaching Oosterbroek manor. Originally, back in the 15th century, Oosterbroek was on the Borgstee grounds, east of the present site. Little is known about that building, but the current dates from 1830 and was renovated in 1924. During the Second World War, the estate was appropriated by the German occupiers. The cycle path is flanked by a beautiful sterrenbos, a carefully designed forest that was originally intended as a park.
• You will pass the Noord-Willemskanaal and cycle past Huis te Glimmen, which lies hidden on moated grounds on the eastern bank of the Drentsche Aa. The present house was built around the 16th century on the foundations of a motte castle destroyed in 1227. The corresponding Quintusbos was built around 1820. A motte castle is a fairly steep hill of about 5 metres, topped with a wooden or stone tower. They were built from the 11th century to the 13th century as a power base for local rulers. Drenthe’s most famous motte is Coevorden castle.
• As you cycle towards Noordlaren, you will come across the 1849 Stellingmolen mill and the Protestant St. Bartholemew’s Church. The oldest part of the church dates from the 12th century, whereas the tower was built in the early 13th century and rests on a boulder-based foundation. A 15th-century mural can still be found in the church to this day.
• A little further down the cycle trail towards Midlaren, you will find dolmens D3 and D4. These two dolmens are two of the most remarkable of their kind because they are built against the side wall of a farmhouse.
• The Zuidlaardermeer looms in the distance. This lake, fed by the river Hunze, was created at the end of the most recent ice age, about 7000 years ago. The lake and its banks are so rich in birds that it has been declared a protected bird area. Get off your bike and enjoy the view from the Zuidlaardermeer West watchtower.
• You continue your route towards Onnen, an esdorp featuring various farms worth seeing and a polder windmill known as De Biks, before passing Haren and pedalling towards Groningen. Enjoy the vibrant city centre before continuing your tour towards the Paterswoldsemeer. This lake was first dug out around 1800 to extract peat and became a recreational lake after 1900. Since then, the Groningen section of the lake has been expanded with the Hoornse Plas (1976) and the Hoornsemeer (1982). Continue your tour along the Hoornsemeer and Paterswoldsemeer.
• This is the end of the Paterswoldsemeer cycle trail. Sit back and relax in one of the many great local cafés or restaurants and look back at this beautiful cycling trail.