Route 22: Zellinger Bossen, Sellingen
On this route, you’ll walk straight through the woods near Sellingen. This route is 8.5 kilometres long.
On this walk, you’ll encounter fine examples of all the Westerwolde landscapes: ash trees offering sweeping views, stream valleys with grassy, flower-filled banks, and here and there old farmhouses, heathland and woods. Staatsbosbeheer manages the Sellinger woods and the natuurgebied Ter Borg . In one part of the area, nature conservation is the main objective. It is a mixed woodland where dead wood is left standing or lying on the ground. Another part is primarily a commercial forest. There, trees are thinned and pruned so that high-quality larch and pine timber can eventually be harvested.
The southern part of the walk passes through the hamlet of Ter Borg, where there is a 17th-century schaapskooi (restored in 1982).
Where forests and stream valleys meet…
On this walk, you’ll encounter fine examples of all the Westerwolde landscapes: ash trees offering sweeping views, stream valleys with grassy, flower-filled banks, and here and there old farmhouses, heathland and woods. Staatsbosbeheer manages the Sellinger woods and the natuurgebied Ter Borg . In one part of the area, nature conservation is the main objective. It is a mixed woodland where dead wood is left standing or lying on the ground. Another part is primarily a commercial forest. There, trees are thinned and pruned so that high-quality larch and pine timber can eventually be harvested.
The southern part of the walk passes through the hamlet of Ter Borg, where there is a 17th-century schaapskooi (restored in 1982).
Where woods and a stream valley meet (point 23), there is a ‘viewing hill’ featuring the Theater van de Natuur, from which you can see part of the meandering Ruiten Aa. Do take a moment to notice the lovely poems carved into the steps.
The Ruiten Aa stream valley forms part of the NNN (NatuurNetwerk Nederland). This network of interconnected nature reserves provides a larger habitat for plants and animals, enabling them to spread more effectively. Since 1992, work has been carried out in stages to (re)develop these areas. For example, the old meanders of the Ruiten Aa – which had been filled in during the 1950s and replaced by a straight watercourse – have been re-excavated, and the area surrounding the stream has been redesigned and restored as far as possible to how it looked around 1900. Fixed weirs have been replaced by bottom-mounted weirs, allowing fish to swim freely to and from their spawning grounds.
The straight stretches of the Ruiten Aa have now once again become ‘dead arms’ – wet strips of land that attract harriers, little ringed plovers and shelducks.
The stream valley is home to numerous endangered plant species such as northern sedge and spotted orchid. Natuurmonumenten and Staatsbosbeheer are the managers of the Ruiten Aa stream valley landscape.
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This is a route of the Walking in Westerwolde Foundation, sponsored by Kopje Genieten and GP practice Postma.
Kopje Genieten
Pine road 1a
9551 VJ Sellingen
06-10635673
www.kopjegenieten.nl
Postma GP practice
Dr.P.Rinsemastraat 1
9541 AL Vlagtwedde
Tel 0599 217000
https://huisartsenpraktijkpostma.nl
Here’s what you’ll see
Features
Tour/Route
- Tagged: Yes
- Route features: From A to A
- Explanatory marking: Yellow - white marked WIW 22 with image of Sellingen church
Walking
- Dogs must be kept on a lead Yes