Turning heritage
Cycling and walking past the windmills
The mill is not the national symbol of the Netherlands for nothing: among other things, it brought new land and food. Nowadays, this centuries-old technology helps to produce sustainable energy. Mills also played a major role in Groningen. Reclaiming land, grinding corn: thanks to the historic mills, prosperity reigned. And they are still turning. There are eight mills in Midden-Groningen , from polder to corn mill. See all mills and the cycling route 'Ode aan de molen' (47 km) on this map.
From polder to corn mill
There is a wealth of working heritage to admire, particularly in the areas around Slochteren and Noordbroek. The Midden-en Oost-Groningen Windmill Foundation (MSMOG) manages ten of these windmills. “Windmills are an integral part of our landscape. They are cultural heritage that we want to preserve, and we ensure that this happens,” says Bert Steenhuizen of MSMOG. “Without polder windmills, the Netherlands as we know it would not even exist.”
There are eight windmills in Midden-Groningen , ranging from polder mills to grain mills. The oldest surviving polder mill in the province of Groningen is located in Slochteren: the Molen van de Groote Polder. Together with the neighbouring mills, De Ruiten and the Fraeylemamolen, this mill ensured that the polder was dry enough to cultivate the land. As a result, the area’s prosperity continued to grow.
Three in a row
Just outside Slochteren, it looks a bit like a miniature Kinderdijk with three windmills in a row, but originally there were as many as thirty windmills around Slochteren. “That’s why we think it’s so important to preserve what’s still standing,” says Steenhuizen. “And you do that mainly by keeping the mills turning. Our enthusiastic millers can therefore be found in the mill as often as possible. That’s important, because a mill that isn’t turning starts to creak and groan and eventually becomes unusable.”
Vincent Mathlener is one such enthusiastic volunteer miller. “Windmills are all different; each has its own history. I always enjoy talking about them and showing visitors around the whole mill.” He has been a miller at the Noordermolen in Noordbroek since 2018. “I’ve been here ever since.”
