Drentsche Aa is one of Drenthe’s national parks. Beautifully located in this park is the m…
Drentsche Aa is one of Drenthe’s national parks. Beautifully located in this park is the mill De Zwaluw in Oudemolen. With a history of falling into decay and being rebuilt, it is one of the oldest mills in Drenthe. The mill has been in good condition since the nineties. Visitors of the national park are bound to come across it. The mill is the departure point of a seven-kilometre walking route. De Zwaluw has one of the most appropriate addresses of any Dutch mill: Molensteeg 8 in Oudemolen—which translates as “Mill Alley 8 in the town of Old Mill.”
The mill was constructed in 1837 to replace a mill that had blown over, which itself was probably built to replace the watermill on the Drentsche Aa. The mill was a true production mill; several generations of the same family used it to earn their livelihood. After the war, the mill’s condition was poor, and one rod broke off. Its owners continued working with just one rod. Installed in 1909, its wooden axle was also in need of replacement. In one of its latest restorations, its inner rod (Bremer) was replaced, and the mill was opened to be viewed by the public. It’s impressive to see—a twenty-metre rod.
Eight-sided smock mill (ground sailer)
