Cycle route Historic Westerwolde
Bourtange, Wedde, Jipsinghuizen
During this beautiful route, you cycle along the Musselkanaal canal. This was dug by the city of Groningen from Bareveld to Ter Apel in 1765 to promote the reclamation of the raised bog of the Bourtang swamp. The canal eventually acquired a length of 38 kilometres and was completed in 1856. The peat trade made it one of the busiest shipping routes in the Netherlands in the nineteenth century. At the locks, waiting times could reach several hours. Cafés and shops were then established at these places, such as in Stadskanaal and Musselkanaal. In 1580, none other than William of Orange ordered the construction of a fort on a sand ridge in the Bourtang swamp. The aim was to prevent the Spaniards from supplying the city of Groningen. When the fortress was no longer needed in the 19th century, an agricultural village arose, built with the stones of the old buildings. Decay continued, until the municipality of Vlagtwedde took the initiative to reconstruct the fortress. Ramparts were raised again, moats dug and soldiers' barracks were built. Imagine yourself back in the year 1742 in a fortress that was never taken. Another beautiful place is Jipsinghuizen. Here you will find a monument dedicated to the work relief in Westerwolde. The work relief was organised by the NV Vereenigde Groninger Gemeenten, founded in 1924. Start (and end) your cycling day at the beautiful Gasterij Natuurlijk Smeerling in a restored Saxon farmhouse, and enjoy this beautiful, historic cycle route!
| Directions | Distance | Total distance | |
|
Start: Smeerling 16, 9591 TX Stadskanaal | 53.2 KM | |
|
From
50
to
27
|
1372 M | 1.4 KM | |
| Head north | 6 M | ||
| Continue straight | 118 M | ||
| Turn left | 1.2 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Ter Wuppingerweg | 41 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Ter Wuppingerweg | 36 M | ||
| You are now at section 27 | 0 M | ||
|
From
27
to
79
|
2518 M | 2.5 KM | |
| Head north on Ter Wuppingerweg | 2.5 KM | ||
| Continue straight | 5 M | ||
| You are now at section 79 | 0 M | ||
|
From
79
to
11
|
1901 M | 1.9 KM | |
| Head northwest | 16 M | ||
| Continue onto Havenstraat | 125 M | ||
| Turn left onto Ganskampen | 317 M | ||
| Turn right onto Wethouder Jan Bessembinderspad | 446 M | ||
| Turn left | 102 M | ||
| Turn left onto Kerklaan | 14 M | ||
| Make a slight right to stay on Kerklaan | 394 M | ||
| Turn left | 70 M | ||
| Turn right onto Scholtweg | 80 M | ||
| Turn left onto De Hörn | 337 M | ||
| You are now at section 11 | 0 M | ||
|
From
11
to
8
|
4087 M | 4.1 KM | |
| Head northeast on Hardingstraat | 113 M | ||
| Turn left onto Duinweg | 80 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Duinweg | 44 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 379 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Duinweg | 459 M | ||
| Turn left onto Beumeesweg | 831 M | ||
| Turn left | 768 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Holterweg | 1.4 KM | ||
| You are now at section 08 | 0 M | ||
|
From
8
to
80
|
758 M | 0.8 KM | |
| Head east on Spanweg | 295 M | ||
| Turn right | 447 M | ||
| Turn left | 16 M | ||
| You are now at section 80 | 0 M | ||
|
From
80
to
63
|
1997 M | 2 KM | |
| Head northeast | 2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 63 | 0 M | ||
|
From
63
to
28
|
882 M | 0.9 KM | |
| Head east | 505 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 8 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Hoofdweg | 369 M | ||
| You are now at section 28 | 0 M | ||
|
From
28
to
58
|
2956 M | 3 KM | |
| Head east on Hoofdweg | 116 M | ||
| Turn left | 336 M | ||
| Turn left onto Hoofdweg | 16 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Lageweg | 247 M | ||
| Turn left | 1.5 KM | ||
| Keep left at the fork | 128 M | ||
| Turn left onto Ossedijk | 9 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Wedderweg | 580 M | ||
| You are now at section 58 | 0 M | ||
|
From
58
to
57
|
883 M | 0.9 KM | |
| Head southeast on Industrieweg | 883 M | ||
| You are now at section 57 | 0 M | ||
|
From
57
to
56
|
1210 M | 1.2 KM | |
| Head southeast on Loosterweg | 1.2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 56 | 0 M | ||
|
From
56
to
26
|
1217 M | 1.2 KM | |
| Head southeast on Noabersbadde | 36 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Noabersbadde | 36 M | ||
| Turn left onto Ruiten A Kanaal West | 1.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 26 | 0 M | ||
|
From
26
to
53
|
2206 M | 2.2 KM | |
| Head southeast on Ruiten A Kanaal West | 2.2 KM | ||
| Make a slight right onto Ruiten A kanaal West II | 7 M | ||
| You are now at section 53 | 0 M | ||
|
From
53
to
54
|
4228 M | 4.2 KM | |
| Head east | 3.4 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Oude Jodenkerkhoflaan | 834 M | ||
| You are now at section 54 | 0 M | ||
|
From
54
to
55
|
583 M | 0.6 KM | |
| Head southwest on Bakovensweg | 583 M | ||
| You are now at section 55 | 0 M | ||
|
From
55
to
95
|
1751 M | 1.8 KM | |
| Head southeast | 24 M | ||
| Turn right | 7 M | ||
| Turn left onto Willem Lodewijkstraat | 231 M | ||
| Turn left onto Willem Lodewijkstraat | 16 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Vriesse Weg | 176 M | ||
| Turn left onto Vriesse Weg | 312 M | ||
| Turn left onto Marktplein | 5 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Marktplein | 10 M | ||
| Turn right onto Marktplein | 5 M | ||
| Turn left onto Bisschopsweg | 124 M | ||
| Turn left onto Bisschopsweg | 134 M | ||
| Turn left onto Bisschopsweg | 345 M | ||
| Turn right onto Nieuwerksweg | 362 M | ||
| You are now at section 95 | 0 M | ||
|
From
95
to
44
|
3442 M | 3.4 KM | |
| Head west on Inundatieweg | 1 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Moddermanspad | 2.4 KM | ||
| You are now at section 44 | 0 M | ||
|
From
44
to
14
|
2705 M | 2.7 KM | |
| Head west on Hogebrugweg | 1.2 KM | ||
| Make a slight left | 9 M | ||
| Turn left | 839 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 7 M | ||
| Turn right onto Wollinghuizerweg | 431 M | ||
| Turn left | 89 M | ||
| Turn right | 102 M | ||
| You are now at section 14 | 0 M | ||
|
From
14
to
36
|
4607 M | 4.6 KM | |
| Head northwest | 151 M | ||
| Turn left onto Jipsingboertangerweg | 53 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 3.2 KM | ||
| Continue onto Jipsingboertangerweg | 120 M | ||
| Continue straight | 1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 36 | 0 M | ||
|
From
36
to
37
|
1960 M | 2 KM | |
| Head southwest | 2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 37 | 0 M | ||
|
From
37
to
39
|
2063 M | 2.1 KM | |
| Head north | 6 M | ||
| Continue onto Kopstukken | 2.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 39 | 0 M | ||
|
From
39
to
40
|
4473 M | 4.5 KM | |
| Head northeast on Kopstukken | 1.7 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Blekslage | 1.1 KM | ||
| Make a slight right onto Harpelerweg | 1.7 KM | ||
| You are now at section 40 | 0 M | ||
|
From
40
to
50
|
5388 M | 5.4 KM | |
| Head north on Harpelerweg | 398 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Harpelerweg | 2.1 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Winselweg | 1.3 KM | ||
| Turn left | 1.1 KM | ||
| Make a slight right | 116 M | ||
| Turn right onto Smeerling | 236 M | ||
| Turn right | 81 M | ||
| You are now at section 50 | 0 M |