Cycling through the ancient Wierdenland
“ ‘Further north, the Reitdiep still meanders through the Groningen countryside in the old-fashioned way.’ ”
Is it a river? Is it a canal? The Reitdiep is a bit of both. And to make matters even more complicated: it is actually the old Hunze. And that Hunze, in turn, is the upper reaches of the Drentse Aa. The first settlers made their home in the Hunze valley long before the Common Era. For the city, it has long been a vital lifeline. Boats travelled along the water to the sea. To keep this lifeline navigable, the Hunze was ‘straightened’. The river became a deep channel. This is particularly evident between the city and Garnwerd. Further north, the Reitdiep still meanders through the Groningen countryside in the traditional way.
In Zoutkamp, you can enjoy fish (or something else)
Salt, I guess that refers to the sea. True, a bit. At Zoutkamp, salt was extracted centuries ago - not from the sea but on the salt marshes outside the dike. The first mention of 'Soltcampum' dates back to 1418. For a long time, it was a bustling fishing town and a strategically located entrenchment on the Lauwerszee. Whoever controls Zoutkamp controls the city of Groningen. The place is of great importance in the Eighty Years' War. The city was Spanish-occupied for a while then. Until 1960, Zoutkamp has a fishing port. That is over after the closure of the Lauwerszee. Yet the village still feels like an old-fashioned fishing village. The perfect place to have a fish dinner. Or take a trip to the Rijksbetoningsloods on the old inner harbour. There sits the Fisheries Museum and you'll find out much more about Zoutkamp.
The iconic mound at Ezinge
Search online for 'wierde' and the first thing you will see is that of Ezinge. Not surprisingly, because this is an icon. Archaeologist A.E. van Giffen shows that the place has been inhabited for centuries. You don't even have to look closely to see that there is something crazy about the mound; as if someone has taken a bite out of it. And that's right. Before the war, many mounds are excavated. The land is fertile and sold. A shame, we think now. Money, they used to think. On the edge of the mound balances a Romanesque hall church with a freestanding tower. Towers are more often loose in Groningen because they also once had a strategic function. Here the villagers are safe. The lord sits on his borg and the villagers in the tower. Want to know more about the wierden? Then you've come to the right place in Ezinge. This is where Museum Wierdenland is located. Hungry, thirsty, or both? Then sit down at the nostalgic pub restaurant De Brug. Uncomplicated, with many products from the region and its own garden.
Allersma: a testament to enduring quality
Coming from Ezinge or Aduarderzijl, you can hardly spot it: the Allersmaborg. It is a charming spot with wooded banks, an orchard and a moat with a drawbridge. In 1489, it was inhabited by a man named Duurt Allersma. He was probably tasked with guarding the lock at the Reitdiep. The rear section of the manor is the oldest. When visiting the Allersmaborg, the enormous dovecote is impossible to miss. If you were to alight there as a pigeon, you’d feel like a king. It is a replica of the dovecote that Duurt Elama, a descendant of the other Duurt, had built around 1650. Annie Vriezen is the manor’s last resident. She is the linchpin of an artists’ colony that lives, works and exhibits at the manor. Well-known artists love to visit. As you walk across the estate, you’ll understand why straight away. This is a place of inspiration. Are you popping by? Then take a stroll around the moat or, in autumn, pick an apple from the orchard.
From 1 April until the last day of the autumn half-term, the Reitdiepveer will take walkers and cyclists from Schaphalsterzijl to Aduarderzijl, or vice versa. Check the website for the timetable.
