Valthe offers several glimpses into its past: the hunebeds differ in location and state of preservation, and a named walking route leads through the Valtherbos to a place with a wartime history. The cycling routes also have their own distinct character. If you are looking for accommodation in Valthe, these different themes can help you get a sense of the village before your stay.
Hunebeds with their own distinctive features
At Hunebed D34, the stones sit noticeably low to the ground. The monument is incomplete because stone robbers removed some of its stones. Its low height and missing stones describe two different features: the hunebed’s appearance and its surviving form. Directly opposite lies Eppiesbarchien, considered the largest burial mound in Drenthe.
To reach Hunebed D34, travel from Odoorn along the Valtherweg towards Valthe, then turn right onto the Hunebedweg. Hunebed D35 lies at the northern edge of the Valtherbos. From Klijndijk, reach it via the Melkweg and then a sandy track branching off to the right. The two locations thus offer different landmarks: at D34, its low stones and Eppiesbarchien opposite are the focal points; at D35, it is the forest’s edge and the approach along the sandy track.
Hunebeds D36 and D37 lie just a few metres apart on spacious grounds with large trees. Together, they are also known as “De Valther Tweeling” (The Valthe Twins). The site is at the edge of the Kampervenen valley. In contrast to low-lying D34, here it is mainly the proximity of the two monuments and their shared grounds that shape the impression.
Walking and history in the Valtherbos
The walk “Kids in het spoor van de mammoet” (Kids in the Footsteps of the Mammoth) leads through the ancient Valtherbos to the Onderduikershol, a place with a moving wartime history. Along the way, the route also passes hunebeds D35, D36 and D37. On this route, stone monuments sit alongside a place connected with more recent history.
During the Second World War, a total of sixteen Jewish people hid at the Onderduikershol Valtherbos, with the group’s composition changing over time. The Valtherbos itself also has a history of change: it was once heathland; trees were planted there in the 1930s as part of a job-creation scheme. The forest and the places the walk leads to give the outing several historical points of reference.
Valthe by bike
Two named cycling routes have different focuses. The Randje-Drenthe-Route 7 Valthe starts and ends at the sports hall in Valthe and passes through Valthe, a village built around a village green. Route details may change, so check the current route before setting off. The Flinten cycling route also passes through Valthe, whose village green and old Saxon farmhouses are part of its character. While Route 7 is defined by its starting and finishing point, the Flinten route puts the village’s features in the spotlight.
From the Valtherbrug to the peat road
Valthe became known in 1818 through the discovery of the Valtherbrug, which dates from Roman times. Associated with the Valtherbrug is a wooden peat road between Ter-Apel and Valthe, probably built around 5,000 years ago. The dates refer to different things: 1818 marks the bridge’s discovery, while the peat road’s age is given only as an approximate and probable estimate.
Discover more destinations: Drouwenermond, Drouwen, Drouwenerveen, Borger, Valthermond, Klijndijk, Buinen, Exloo
For the wider travel overview: Borger-Odoorn.
