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Along the Reitdiep

(58.7 km)

This tour takes you through the unique Reitdiep or Hunze Valley. Along the way, you’ll enjoy beautiful villages, churches and views over the ancient mound landscape. The route is sixty kilometres long but can easily be shortened or extended.

Is it a river? Is it a canal? The Reitdiep is a bit of both. And to make matters even more complicated: it is actually the old Hunze. And that Hunze, in turn, is the upper reaches of the Drentse Aa. The first settlers made their home in the Hunze valley long before the Common Era. For the city, it has long been a vital lifeline. Boats travelled along the water to the sea. To keep this lifeline navigable, the Hunze was ‘straightened’. The river became a deep channel. This is particularly evident between the city and Garnwerd. Further north, the Reitdiep still meanders through the Groningen countryside in the traditional way.