Turning heritage in Midden-Groningen

Those who love windmills will be in their element in Midden-Groningen. The mill is not our national symbol for nothing; among other things, it brought us new land and food. Nowadays, we are putting the centuries-old technology to use again, now for extracting sustainable energy. Mills also played a major role in Groningen. De-poldering land, grinding corn: thanks to the historic mills of Midden-Groningen, prosperity reigned. And they are still turning.

Especially in the Slochteren and Noordbroek area, there is a lot of rotating heritage to admire. Molenstichting Midden-en Oost-Groningen (MSMOG) manages ten of these mills. "Mills are impossible to imagine our landscape without. They are cultural heritage that you want to preserve, and we make sure that happens," says Bert Steenhuizen of MSMOG. "Without polder mills, the Netherlands as we know it would not even exist."

There are eight mills in Midden-Groningen, ranging from polder to corn mill. The oldest existing polder mill in the province of Groningen is in Slochteren: the Groote Polder Windmill. Together with neighbouring mills De Ruiten and the Fraeylema Mill, the mill ensured that the polder was dry enough to work the land. This increased the area's prosperity more and more.

Just outside Slochteren, it looks like little Kinderdijk with three mills in a row, but originally there were as many as 30 mills around Slochteren. "That is why we think it is so important to preserve what is still there," says Steenhuizen. "And you do that mainly by keeping the mills turning. Our enthusiastic millers can therefore be found in the mills as often as possible. This is important, because a mill that is not running starts squeaking and groaning and is ultimately unusable."

Vincent Mathlener is one such enthusiastic volunteer miller. "Mills are all different, each has its own history. I always like to tell about them and draw visitors throughout the mill." He has been a miller at the Noordermolen in Northbroek since 2018. "Since then, I haven't left here.

From two mills, the Windmill Foundation has set out detours, walks of seven to eight kilometres. The diversions from Windlust mill in Overschild leads through 't Roegwold, past the reformed church in Overschild and, of course, past the mill. The diversions from the Western mill in Nieuw Scheemda (just outside the municipality) passes rural shop and fruit grower Bosschaart in Noordbroek, among other places. The detours can be downloaded from the foundation's website. The walks can also be booked as a group, in which case de molenaar provides explanations. There is also a cycle route along several of the foundation's mills, a short and a long variant.

More Midden-Groningen
Fraeylemaborg
Overnight in the region
Trips with children

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