Looking forward to summer in Midden-Groningen

From a lovely cocktail evening on the beautiful beach of the Zuidlaardermeer to feeling the wind in your hair on one of the two large lakes, summer in Midden-Groningen is a delight. Or how about a classical music festival in the heart of nature? There’s something for everyone.

On the shores of the Schildmeer , you’ll find the trendy and atmospheric restaurant Kaap Steendam. Here, it’s all about enjoying good food, hospitality and the tranquillity of nature. With a bit of luck, you might even catch a stunning sunset here.

With their warm hospitality, the hosts and hostesses at Paviljoen De Leine ensure the ultimate holiday feeling: as if you were on holiday at home. The Zuidlaardermeer lies on the border between Groningen and Drenthe. From here, you can cycle or sail along beautiful routes, such as a tour of the Zuidlaardermeer, towards the Veenkoloniën or, alternatively, towards the city of Groningen.

Grand Café De Boerderij at the Fraeylemaborg Estate is a lovely spot for young and old alike. From the terrace, you have a great view of the manor house. Inside, there’s an authentic atmosphere and the lunch dishes are delicious. After all, there’s nothing better than Groningen mustard soup and flammkuchen after a stroll through the woods.

If you love water, you’re in luck, because there’s plenty of it here! The Zuidlaardermeer is ideal for a lovely day’s sailing. As well as sailing in your own boat, you can join the Zuidlaardermeer Sailing Club in Kropswolde or hire a boat from the Zuidlaardermeer Sailing School. You can hire a motorboat at Paviljoen De Rietzoom . You can moor your own boat at the marinas run by Allround Watersport and Siblu Camping Meerwijck in Kropswolde. For an ice cream, tapas or a cocktail, head to Bodega Beach – they’re open every day and their terrace overlooks the beach.

The Schildmeer is situated in the ‘t Roegwold nature reserve. It features rugged banks where you can spot all kinds of birds, as well as sphagnum moss reed beds with rare plants. In Steendam, you can hire a SUP, electric boat or canoe from Bootverhuur Schildmeer to explore the lake. On the lake’s shore is a surfing beach with a spacious car park and plenty of room to get out on your board. Surfing equipment is available a few hundred metres further on, at Surfcenter.

There are also many small canals, waterways and rivers where you can go canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding or take a trip on an electric boat. Anyone wishing to explore the Ae’s Woudbloem nature reserve from the water can hire canoes from Ecomotion in Kolham or join a silent barge trip from Woudbloem. During your trip, you’ll see vast fields of water lilies, dragonflies, birds of all shapes and sizes, and the endangered crabgrass.

You can explore the Veenkoloniën from Kiel-Windeweer. At Peddel en zo , you can hire a canoe, kayak, small boat or pedal boat and take a lovely trip through this listed village. You can continue on to the Zuidlaardermeer or head towards Drenthe.

You can make the most of the late summer at the Roeg Klassiek festival: an annual festival in September where nature, heritage and classical music come together at unique and rugged locations in and around the beautiful landscape of ‘t Roegwold. Enjoy intimate concerts, surprising nature excursions, films and performances. The festival takes place from 11 to 13 September, featuring, amongst others, the James Oesi Trio, Woodcraft, the Ruysdael Quartet, Albert Secuur, and musicians from the North Netherlands Orchestra and the Prince Claus Conservatoire.