Cycle route along the Zwarte Water and the Blauwe Hand
Meppel, Zwartsluis, Wanneperveen
From Meppel, cycle towards the lake district in the Kop van Overijssel and you will come to Blauwe Hand (Blue Hand), a small but special place with a striking name. There are various legends and stories about the name. One of the most remarkable stories tells of an inn where a fight took place around 1578 between a pedlar and the innkeeper. During this fight, the hand of a friend of the innkeeper was cut off and placed in spirits of wine. After a while, this hand turned blue, and that is how the inn, and later the surrounding area, supposedly got the name ‘Blue Hand’. Another explanation suggests that the name comes from an inn that used to be located here. Legend has it that a traveller in the inn had painted his hand blue, which drew attention and gave the inn its well-known name. Today it is a paradise for water sports enthusiasts, with wide lakes such as the Beulakerwijde and Belterwijde where you can see sailing boats, canoes and sloops passing by. The cycle paths take you along beautiful stretches of water and over bridges spanning the canals. After Blauwe Hand you will arrive in Zwartsluis, a lively village with a rich maritime history. This was once an important trading centre for peat, fish and grain. The final stage begins here: the road along the Zwarte Water (Black Water). The Zwarte Water is a river that flows from Zwolle to Zwartsluis and empties into the Zwarte Meer. You will cycle along this river through a beautiful landscape of reed beds, green pastures and old dykes. Nearby is the historic Zwartewaterklooster, once a resting place for noble nuns and knights who had fought their last battle. Could the dark colour of the water be due to its depth, the bottom or perhaps a touch of magic? Who knows!
| Directions | Distance | Total distance | |
|
Start: Dorpsstraat , 7948 NS Meppel | 59.6 KM | |
|
From
48
to
25
|
2405 M | 2.4 KM | |
| Head southwest on Dorpsstraat | 1 KM | ||
| Turn left | 38 M | ||
| Continue onto Nieuweweg | 214 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 62 M | ||
| Turn right | 14 M | ||
| Enter Dorpsdoktersrotonde and take the 2nd exit towards Kolderveen | 23 M | ||
| Exit the roundabout towards Kolderveen | 1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 25 | 0 M | ||
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From
25
to
47
|
1291 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head southeast on Lambert van der Linde Albertszoonweg | 1.3 KM | ||
| You are now at section 47 | 0 M | ||
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From
47
to
65
|
3110 M | 3.1 KM | |
| Head southwest on Matenweg | 1.1 KM | ||
| Make a slight right | 13 M | ||
| Turn right onto Nieuwe Dijk | 408 M | ||
| Turn left towards Wanneperveen | 1.6 KM | ||
| You are now at section 65 | 0 M | ||
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From
65
to
66
|
3002 M | 3 KM | |
| Head southwest on Veneweg | 249 M | ||
| Turn right onto Dominee A.C. van Raalteweg; Ds A.C. van Raalteweg | 142 M | ||
| Turn left onto Zuster A. Kortplantsoen; Zr. A. Kortplantsoen | 145 M | ||
| Turn right onto Burgemeester Pastoorstraat | 33 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Burgemeester Pastoorstraat | 66 M | ||
| Turn right | 277 M | ||
| Continue onto Wethouder Huismanstraat; Weth. Huismanstraat | 62 M | ||
| Turn left onto Bovenboersepad | 529 M | ||
| Turn right onto Veneweg | 13 M | ||
| Turn left onto Bovenboersepad | 1.5 KM | ||
| Make a slight right to stay on Bovenboersepad | 16 M | ||
| You are now at section 66 | 0 M | ||
|
From
66
to
63
|
1844 M | 1.8 KM | |
| Head south on Bovenboersepad | 1.8 KM | ||
| You are now at section 63 | 0 M | ||
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From
63
to
94
|
1990 M | 2 KM | |
| Head southwest on Veneweg | 893 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 70 M | ||
| Continue onto Veneweg | 670 M | ||
| Turn left onto Veneweg | 357 M | ||
| You are now at section 94 | 0 M | ||
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From
94
to
13
|
2286 M | 2.3 KM | |
| Head southeast on Blauwehandseweg | 2.3 KM | ||
| You are now at section 13 | 0 M | ||
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From
13
to
56
|
1490 M | 1.5 KM | |
| Head south on Blauwehandseweg | 1.5 KM | ||
| You are now at section 56 | 0 M | ||
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From
56
to
12
|
3527 M | 3.5 KM | |
| Head south on Zomerdijk | 1.9 KM | ||
| Make a slight right | 33 M | ||
| Turn right onto Zomerdijk | 1.4 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Dwarsstraat | 7 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Kerkstraat | 192 M | ||
| You are now at section 12 | 0 M | ||
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From
12
to
32
|
872 M | 0.9 KM | |
| Head southeast on Stationsweg | 60 M | ||
| Turn right onto Marktstraat | 2 M | ||
| Turn left onto Stationsweg | 30 M | ||
| Turn left onto Handelskade | 78 M | ||
| Turn right onto Kolksluiskade | 36 M | ||
| Continue slightly right onto Hasselterdijk | 666 M | ||
| You are now at section 32 | 0 M | ||
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From
32
to
95
|
1831 M | 1.8 KM | |
| Head southeast on Hasselterdijk | 133 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Hasselterdijk | 53 M | ||
| Turn right onto Sluizerdijk | 1.6 KM | ||
| You are now at section 95 | 0 M | ||
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From
95
to
30
|
1895 M | 1.9 KM | |
| Head east on Sluizerdijk | 14 M | ||
| Continue onto De Velde | 13 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on De Velde | 62 M | ||
| Make a U-turn and continue on De Velde | 16 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on De Velde | 186 M | ||
| Make a slight left to stay on De Velde | 364 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Zwartewatersklooster | 1.2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 30 | 0 M | ||
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From
30
to
96
|
4975 M | 5 KM | |
| Head east on Zwartewaterkloosterweg | 2.2 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Conradsweg | 623 M | ||
| Turn left onto Postweg | 2.2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 96 | 0 M | ||
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From
96
to
18
|
1330 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head west on Dekkersland | 1.3 KM | ||
| You are now at section 18 | 0 M | ||
|
From
18
to
76
|
5448 M | 5.4 KM | |
| Head northeast on Stouweweg | 5.4 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Staphorster Grote Stouwe | 98 M | ||
| You are now at section 76 | 0 M | ||
|
From
76
to
49
|
2919 M | 2.9 KM | |
| Head north on Staphorster Grote Stouwe | 874 M | ||
| Continue onto Hesselingen | 265 M | ||
| Turn left onto Europalaan | 24 M | ||
| Turn right onto Hesselingen | 791 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Hesselingen | 406 M | ||
| Turn left onto Hesselingen | 221 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Kastanjelaan | 8 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Kastanjelaan | 117 M | ||
| Turn right onto Meester Harm Smeengekade | 183 M | ||
| Turn left onto Oude Boazstraat | 30 M | ||
| You are now at section 49 | 0 M | ||
|
From
49
to
70
|
2448 M | 2.4 KM | |
| Head southeast on Zuideindigerpad | 151 M | ||
| Turn right onto Hoofdstraat | 333 M | ||
| Turn left onto Stationsweg | 410 M | ||
| Turn left onto Stationsweg | 279 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 148 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Burgemeester Knopperslaan | 85 M | ||
| Turn left onto Het Vledder | 61 M | ||
| Turn left | 29 M | ||
| Make a sharp left onto Het Vledder | 70 M | ||
| Continue straight | 260 M | ||
| Turn left onto Gasgracht | 622 M | ||
| You are now at section 70 | 0 M | ||
|
From
70
to
4
|
941 M | 0.9 KM | |
| Head northeast on Dingstedepad | 155 M | ||
| Turn left | 383 M | ||
| Turn left | 398 M | ||
| Turn left onto Blankensteinweg | 5 M | ||
| You are now at section 04 | 0 M | ||
|
From
4
to
48
|
11136 M | 11.1 KM | |
| Head west on Blankensteinweg | 51 M | ||
| Make a slight right to stay on Blankensteinweg | 696 M | ||
| Turn right onto Burgemeester Mackaystraat | 269 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Woldkade | 15 M | ||
| Turn right | 1.1 KM | ||
| Continue onto Ruinerwoldseweg | 469 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Ruinerwoldseweg | 1.2 KM | ||
| Turn left | 1.1 KM | ||
| Turn right | 34 M | ||
| Turn left onto Jaagpad | 592 M | ||
| Continue onto Paradijssluis | 104 M | ||
| Continue onto Jaagpad | 1.5 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Rijksomweg | 6 M | ||
| Turn left onto Meenteweg | 21 M | ||
| Turn left | 134 M | ||
| Continue onto Rijksweg | 306 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Buitenvaart | 924 M | ||
| Turn right onto Gedeputeerde Dekkerweg | 1.2 KM | ||
| Turn right onto 1e Nijeveense Kerkweg | 1.4 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Dorpsstraat | 31 M | ||
| You are now at section 48 | 0 M | ||
|
From
48
to
25
|
2405 M | 2.4 KM | |
| Head southwest on Dorpsstraat | 1 KM | ||
| Turn left | 38 M | ||
| Continue onto Nieuweweg | 214 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 62 M | ||
| Turn right | 14 M | ||
| Enter Dorpsdoktersrotonde and take the 2nd exit towards Kolderveen | 23 M | ||
| Exit the roundabout towards Kolderveen | 1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 25 | 0 M | ||
|
From
25
to
48
|
2420 M | 2.4 KM | |
| Head northeast on Kolderveen | 1 KM | ||
| Enter Dorpsdoktersrotonde and take the 2nd exit | 48 M | ||
| Exit the roundabout | 14 M | ||
| Turn left | 62 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Nieuweweg | 214 M | ||
| Continue straight | 32 M | ||
| Turn right onto Dorpsstraat | 1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 48 | 0 M |