Peace, nature, small villages and endlessly winding waterways. If you really want to discover Groningen in a special way, step into a canoe and stay overnight at various campsites this summer. At De Waddenhoeve , you don't book a standard day's canoeing, but a complete canoeing holiday through the Groningen countryside. You can choose from various multi-day routes of three days or even two weeks sailing. Along the way, you stay overnight at campsites and largely determine what your adventure looks like.
Get away from it all in your own country
Along the routes, you’ll sail across the Groningen lakes, past old locks, through villages and between meadows. According to De Waddenhoeve , the journey is all about freedom: nothing is compulsory and everything is allowed. You choose where to stop, which route to follow and whether you want to linger somewhere along the way. This means you can stay overnight at various campsites and continue your journey the next day. With the booklet you’ll receive as a printout, you can decide for yourself what your canoe trip will look like.
The inspiration for the canoe trips comes from Sweden. The owners of De Waddenhoeve made several trips there themselves and wanted to bring that special experience to Groningen. That is why both the canoes and the accompanying canoe trailers were specially imported from Sweden.
You can easily take all your supplies with you in the canoe. This includes waterproof bags, a barrel, life jackets and a canoe cart. A complete campfire cooking set is not missing either. With a metal tripod, pan and hook, you can easily cook over an open fire. You will also get a coffee pot to make your own fresh coffee, along with an axe and heat-resistant glove for a real outdoor feeling.
This is precisely what makes these tours so special. You get to places you wouldn't normally visit. Small villages like Stitswerd, Rottum and Onderdendam feel like you are going back in time. No mass tourism or busy hotspots, but tranquillity, history and the real Groningen.
The three-day tour of forgotten villages
The shortest route is the three-day canoe trip from Noordpolderzijl. During this route, you sail past Warffum, Middelstum, Kantens, Doodstil and Uithuizen, among others.
There is plenty to discover along the way. In Warffum, you can moor for a visit to openluchtmuseum Het Hoogeland, to do some shopping at the village shop or take a stroll around the village. Middelstum is known for its historic buildings and protected villagescape, while in Rottum you can see the smallest house in the Netherlands. And of course you will also sail through Doodstil, once voted the most beautiful place name in the Netherlands.
The route is perfect for people who love nature, history and relaxing. You cruise between 10 and 17 kilometres a day on average and stay overnight at cosy mini campsites along the way.
From weekend trip to complete canoeing holiday
Have you got the bug? Then there are plenty more routes to choose from. For example, De Waddenhoeve also offers longer routes such as a five-day trip across the Groningen maren and the Reitdiep, a week-long trip towards Lauwersmeer, an adventurous 9- to 14-day route past remote villages, and an extensive tour of both the province and the city of Groningen from the water.
During these longer routes, you sail past Winsum, Zoutkamp, Garnwerd, Appingedam and even through the canals of the city of Groningen, for example.
Choose your own trip
The nice thing about De Waddenhoeve 's routes is that you have a lot of freedom along the way. You can stop earlier, stay an extra night or take a different turn. The route descriptions are full of tips on places of interest, shops and nice places to moor.
Explore the area from the water and be surprised by the peace and space of Groningen's landscape. All routes start and end at de Waddenhoeve. Canoeing experience is not necessary, the canoes are accessible to young and old.
Discover Groningen at your leisure
Where you normally drive past villages by car, you experience Groningen from the water in a completely different way. Slowly paddling through narrow waterways, past old bridges and between meadows, you will discover a side of the province that many people do not yet know.
In short, an adventurous mini-break in your own country, but with a Groningen twist: peaceful, authentic and full of hidden stories.
