Walking route from wierden to borgen
Stap a Stap from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and go for a walk through the Netherlands’ oldest cultural landscape. Just half an hour from the city, you’ll discover what makes the Groningen countryside so distinctive. From mound settlements to a manor house: you’ll come across it all on this walking route.
Take a stroll through history
Imagine that the countryside you’re walking through was once almost uninhabitable. People were already settling here in prehistoric times. From the Middle Ages onwards, people began to cultivate the land here. The wild countryside gave way to land where plants and crops could grow and where people and animals could live. Traces of this change can still be found in the landscape. During the walk, look out for the ‘petgaten’ and ‘legakkers’, which are the result of land cultivation using the dredging beam. And do take note of the ‘wierden’ too; these are mounds on which people built their houses to protect themselves from the sea.
Shortly after the Middle Ages, there was considerable fighting at Aduarderzijl. The battle was fought between the city of Groningen, which was Spanish-speaking, and the surrounding areas, which joined the Dutch union. In 1594, a major battle took place here in which a total of about 160 men lost their lives. The victims were buried in the surrounding land and years later their bones still turn up.
To round off your historical tour, you’ll pass the Allersmaborg during your walk. A noble family once lived in this manor house. The three-winged building dates back to the Middle Ages. It is situated within wide moats and has a drawbridge. There is also an orchard next to the manor house, where old Groningen apple varieties such as the ‘Groninger Kroon’ and ‘Zigeunerin’ grow.
Joeswert Corn Mill
In Feerwerd, take a look at corn mill Joeswert. The mill was built in 1855. This mill is still in professional use today. Wheat, spelt, rye and barley are still ground here. On Fridays and Saturdays in the afternoon, the mill is open to the public.
The mill also houses a small shop selling local produce. There are many different types of flour available here. As well as the flours milled at Joeswert (wheat, spelt and rye), you can also find buckwheat flour, maize flour, bread-making mixes, pancake mix and cake mixes. As well as grain and flour, the shop sells honey, nuts, seeds and more.
Garnwerd
If you want an extra-long walking tour, you can choose to go past Garnwerd. This old mound village is small but idyllic. For a small village with about 430 inhabitants, there is a lot to do. For instance, there are festivals in summer and you can stay overnight. You can also have a nice lunch or a cup of coffee here at, for example, Garnwerd aan Zee or Bij Hammingh.
This route is a tip from the Routebureau Groningen, the starting point for route-based recreation in the province of Groningen.
