The municipality of Tynaarlo lies in the north of the province of Drenthe, within the UNESCO Global Geopark De Hondsrug. Excursion options range from hiking trails through a stream valley to museums about musical instruments, clogs and Art Nouveau. When planning your trip, you can choose from different routes and cultural themes rather than treating all the places as one combined itinerary.
Hiking, Cycling and Water
The “De tien van Tynaarlo: Hart van Tynaarlo” hiking route is 11 km long. It offers a varied impression of the municipality’s open landscape, stream valleys, brooks and forests. The route heads towards Zeegse and passes one of Drenthe’s finest megalithic tombs. The Wedbroeken hiking route offers a different landscape: it follows the Schipborgsche Diep and the Zeegserloopje and passes through a stream valley with hay meadows, pools and a drifting sand area.
The 37 km Zuidlaren cycle route crosses the Hondsrug to Zuidlaardermeer and passes through Noordlaren, Midlaren and Zuidlaren. The distances make a clear distinction between an 11 km hike and a 37 km cycle route; each route is a separate option.
The marked Landgoederenroute Paterswolde starts at Landgoed Lemferdinge and passes, among other places, Landgoed De Braak, Friesche Veen, Vennebroek and Landgoed Vosbergen. Check the route markers and parking options in advance. De Onlanden is a nature reserve and water-storage area rich in birdlife, with an observation tower. The De Onlanden hiking route starts at De Onlanderij, Madijk 1 in Eelderwolde. As the starting point may change if route management changes in the future, check the current route before setting out.
There are opportunities for swimming, sailing and windsurfing at Zuidlaardermeer. The lake covers 671 hectares and includes the Leinwijk floodplain marsh. Check water conditions and operating schedules before your trip.
Churches, Estates and Museums
The church in Vries is probably one of Drenthe’s oldest churches, along with the church in Anloo; parts of it date from the 11th century. The Eelde/Paterswolde estate area also has a historic character: it is designated as a protected village landscape, and the prosperity of the Groningen elite of the 18th and 19th centuries is still evident there.
Landgoed De Braak is a monumental park designed by the garden architect Roodbaard in the 19th century. The estate includes a hedge maze and a beech berceau—a covered walkway formed from interwoven foliage. The Landgoederenroute Paterswolde passes De Braak, offering a hiking option that takes in several of the estates and landscape features mentioned here.
At Drents Museum De Buitenplaats in Eelde, the focus is on Art Nouveau. It is based on the Drents Museum’s art collection in Assen from around 1900. The complex includes the museum garden, the distinctive 17th-century Nijsinghhuis, with its murals by Northern figurative artists, the Oranjerie and Brasserie Röling.
Museum Vosbergen displays a collection of around 1,000 musical instruments. Visitors are given a headset that lets them explore the collection at their own pace; the format of these interpretation services may change. Internationaal Klompenmuseum offers guided tours for individual visitors and small groups, depending on museum staffing. It also screens a video presentation about the craft and machine-made production of clogs; the content may be updated. The De Wachter museum complex includes four working steam engines, which may occasionally be unavailable during maintenance.
The De Waterburcht archaeological monument in Eelde marks the site of a motte, or castle on a raised mound. The inhabitants were probably the Schulten or Schouten of Eelde; in the 13th and 14th centuries, they administered justice in this part of Drenthe. At Hunebed D6, all the large stones are still exactly where they were placed more than 5,000 years ago. The megalithic tomb is somewhat harder to reach by car; check road and access conditions before setting out.
Speelpark Sprookjeshof in Zuidlaren has both an indoor and an outdoor playground. In the fairy-tale forest, visitors walk through various fairy-tale scenes; the petting zoo has goats, alpacas and deer. The play equipment and animal population may change over time.
Discover more destinations: Eelderwolde, Midlaren, Zeegse, Zuidlaren, Paterswolde, Tynaarlo, Vries, Eelde.
For the broader travel overview: Drenthe.
