Doezumermieden walking route

The route is damp and is often referred to as the 'boot trail'. Make sure you wear sturdy boots or fasten your hiking boots extra tightly before starting the route of more than 12 kilometres. After all, a good start is half the battle. The hike starts at Theetuin Blotevoetenhof, located on the Peebos. This beautiful tea garden is part of Staatsbosbeheer Westerkwartier and offers a lovely place to recharge your energy before, during or after your walk. The orchard with robust picnic tables and cheerful colours is worth a visit in itself.

From the starting point at the Peebos, the route starts and leads you northwards to the border of the province. Here you will come to the Lauwers. This river partially separates the provinces of Friesland and Groningen. The river gave its name to today's Lauwersmeer and the nearby villages of Lauwerzijl and Lauwersoog. It offers a beautiful scenic backdrop that you can watch for hours. If you feel like swapping your walking shoes for something else for a while, the Lauwers is also great for activities such as canoeing. As you walk closer, the soothing sound of the flowing waters of the Lauwers becomes more and more pleasant.

You continue the route through the area where the peat cutters left their mark. Between the peat pits you will find the historical legacies, once the workshops where peat cutters laid the peat, soaked with water and cut into pieces, to dry. These peat dykes now form the basis of the paths you walk on. Stop for a moment at the quaking bog - here you can literally feel the earth tremble beneath your feet. When you jump up and down, the ground springs back and you feel as if you are standing on a trampoline. This brings the memory of peat extraction in this area fully to life.

In the potholes, which were created by the excavation of the peat, you can see the green crabgrass floating by. An image that provides beautiful colours and where nature takes its course. From May to July, the white flowers of the crab feather are in full bloom again. Every season offers a different view here, and in summer, the crabgrass welcomes green glazier dragonflies. This rare species flutters around during the summer months, so don't forget to bring your camera and/or binoculars to admire them.

After following the course of the Lauwers, continue east along Melle's Pad, heading for the Doezumertocht. This path is named after Melle Visser. Melle and his wife Lamke used to have a modest farm at the back of the hamlet of Peebos, with a few cows and a small potato crop on a few hectares of land. They had no children and no succession, which meant the land eventually came into the hands of the Forestry Commission. The farmhouse was demolished and all that remains on the land now is Melle's old apple orchard, which runs parallel to the path. This old apple orchard still produces jute pears and Gieser Wildemannen. You will also find 'sedelingen', a tasty apple variety that is rich in vitamins and perfect for making apple sauce.

At the end of Melle's Path, you come across the Doezumertocht, where the 'Trudes Draai' bridge greets you. The name Trude is a tribute to Geertruida Bosma, the former landowner of this area, when both the path and the turn already existed. Walking along the Doezumertocht, you are surrounded by the splendour of the lush Groningen landscape, the bustle of Groningen life and the glistening moisture of the grassland. But just wait until spring arrives again - then this area will be one carpet of flowers again. As you take in nature, you get the feeling that you are in a remote paradise, away from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding villages.

On arrival in the hamlet of Peebos, you are welcomed by a monumental drawbridge dating back to 1930. This bridge exudes historical charm and gives you the feeling of travelling back in time, almost 100 years. Peebos, located in the municipality of Westerkwartier, forms a picturesque area west of Doezum, on the border with the province of Friesland. The name Peebos comes from a forest that once stood on this spot, possibly owned by a lord named Pebe. In the past, the place was also known as Pebebosch. As you walk along the path of the same name, you will be greeted by the welcoming smiles of the Groningers, surrounded by lush greenery and the happy chirping of free birds. Bird lovers, pay attention: you can spot the chiffchaff, fitis, robin and fazant, among others, here.