Drowned villages

Much of Groningen's extraordinary past is covered by a thick layer of clay. The Field Atlas guide reveals the most special moments in the province's history. During your walk or bike ride, you will hear, see and read about important things that happened where you are standing at that moment. Events that shaped Groningen into what it is today.

At the moment, the Field Atlas team is still busy collecting all the stories and developing the platform. The first story they are working on is that of the Drowned Villages.

Drowned villages route
Once reclaimed, then flooded and reclaimed again, in what is now Oldambt and the Dollard, lie the remains of a number of medieval villages under a thick layer of clay and peat. The walking routes of the 5 Oldambster villages have these 'drowned villages' as their theme. The walking route pays attention to them. The 5 Oldambster villages are Beerta, Nieuw Beerta, Ganzedijk/Hongerige Hongerige Wolf, Drieborg and Bad Nieuweschans. Associated drowned villages include Veenhuisen, Wyndeham, Palmar (monastery), Reiderwolde and Houwingaham.

Beerta, between sand and marsh
Between Sand and Marsh suggests that you are about to walk through an impenetrable part of Groningen. Traditionally, Beerta is a posh village with lots of greenery, stately farms and neat middle-class houses. It was a charming little place. Indeed: one had never seen so many beautiful houses together. Not surprisingly, this was once the residence of a nobleman and there was a great contrast between the rich farmers and the farm workers.

Routes:

Ommetje Beerta - 6.2 km
Circular walk around the Tjamme - 7.4 km
Beertsterplas walk - 8.9 km

Starting location: 't Speulparadies, Buitenlandenstraat 5 Beerta

New Beerta, hidden history in a moving landscape
New Beerta was once one of the richest villages in the province, where names like 'Landjuweel' and 'Bloeie de Landbouw' proudly adorned the facades of grand manor houses. Nothing could be seen of the drama that took place here in the 16th century. For this beautiful and then distinguished place was built on the land of a drowned village.

Route:

Ommetje Nieuw Beerta - 5.2 km, with possible extension of 3 km.

Start location: Kerk Nieuw Beerta, Hoofdweg 18 Nieuw Beerta

Ganzedijk, eem oetwaai'n on diek
The hamlets of Ganzedijk and Hongerige Wolf. Ganzedijk is known for its combative inhabitants and idyllic Hongerige Wolf for its popular festival of the same name. And did you know that many artists also visited this place for inspiration? High time for a diversion.

Route:

Ommetje Ganzedijk-Hongerige Wolf - 4.9 km

Start location: Buurthuis, Ganzedijk 42 Finsterwolde

Drieborg, a dyke of a village
Although the title suggests otherwise, Drieborg is not a drowned village. It was built in the land of drowned villages, in the former municipality of Reiderland in the region of the same name. This happened about a hundred years after the flood. If you visit Drieborg, don't forget to take a breath of fresh air on the dike. Here you have a good view of the Kroonpolder and the Stadspolder.

Route:

Ommetjes Drieborg - 5.8 km shortened route is 4.0 km.

Start location: Drieborg: Noorderlicht, Oudedijk 8a Drieborg

The glow of Bad Nieuweschans
This fortified village with 1,342 inhabitants is the easternmost place in the Netherlands and has the oldest spa in the country. You can also admire 47 national monuments here. In 1974, Bad Nieuweschans was rightly declared a protected village sight. The village was founded in 1628, long after the great flood of the Dollard in 1509. But why does Bad Nieuweschans still belong to the Drowned Villages Route?

Route:

Ommetje Bos Houwingaham - 6.1 km.
Ommetje Oudezijl - 3.6 km.
Ommetje Nieuweschanskerbos - 4.8 km.
Ommetje Oostpunt - 5.1 km.

Start location: On the corner of Europaweg by the water, near the skyline of Bad Nieuweschans

Don't miss anything from Groningen