Drenthe: A tour on the bike (1997)

Our Tour

• Hoogeveen (Motel Hoogeveen). We liked to use our own bikes. Hence we had to put them in the train in Eindhoven and we had to change in Utrecht and in Zwolle. With four bikes and luggage in summer this meant quite an experience. We were not the only ones who tried to put their bikes in the train and in general there is too less space for the bikes. We were lucky that we could stay together.
  In the afternoon we reached Hoogeveen. It was warm and we were tired after the travel by train. From the motel we made a walk to the center of Hoogeveen. Here it was quite busy.
• Frederiksoord (Hotel Frederiksoord) (45km). The day started with heavy rain fall. On the moors of Dwingelo we had a strong wind against us. Also the last 10km was a tough section. But in between there were more pleasant moments and nice woods to travel through. We were surprised to see fields full of plants for making hash. Is this the new future for Drenthe? Hotel Frederiksoord was the best hotel we had of those on this tour. Just near the hotel we visited a small museum that was specialised in old clocks.
• Westerbork (Hotel De Westerburcht) (45 km). We started with a nice tour to the north through the woods of Appelscha. Near Smilde we turned west and crossed the Drentse Hoogvaart. Just south of Beilen we headed for Westerbork. It was warm in the afternoon. In Westerbork we visited a small museum with paper art.
• Zuidlaren (Tulip Inn) (40km). Again a nice tour through woods and agrarian fields. Near Gieten we visited an information center and made a tour through the tops of the trees. Zuidlaren was surprisingly busy with travel. With Ineke we visited the "Sprookjestuin" at the south-west corner of the Zuidlaardermeer (lake).
• Odoorn (Hotel De Oringer Marke) (50km). During the first 20km we had to fight against the wind in an open area. We saw some "Hunebeds" (dolmens, prehistoric graves). South of Rolde we entered the woods which meant a more pleasant period to bike. Near Westerbork we visited the Westerbork memorial of the Jewish camp of the 2nd WorldWar. It is a solemn moment to stand for the monument with the rails turned to heaven.
  In Odoorn the music/dancing festival was held that week. So the village was full of cars and gas and drivers who thought they had some right to force you to stay away from the street (but which was the only part that was left over to walk on).
• Coevorden (Hotel Talens) (46km). We did not made the proposed tour. We liked to visit the zoo (Noorderdierenpark) in Emmen. The zoo was very nice, but several times the rain poured from heaven and people were looking for refuge. After the visit we took a quite uninteresting direct way to Coevorden, estimating if we could cross some part dry and looking several times for shelter. It took some time, but we could stay dry. Later we made a small walk through Coevorden.
• [Hoogeveen (41km)] Because the hotel was quite near the railway station and because the weather was expected to be similar to that of the last day, we descided to finish the tour in Coevorden and to take the train to home. Otherwise we should have to take the train in Hoogeveen later that day.
  In the afternoon we discovered that the south of Holland had had a week with a lot of rain. Indeed, between Eindhoven and Son en Breugel we became more wet than during the last week.

Some good related links

Jan ter Maten's Home Page