Uffelte offers a combination of landscapes and village cultural history. The Uffelter Binnenveld lies between the villages of Havelte and Uffelte and includes heathland, flower-rich nutrient-poor grasslands and woodland. Visible traces of the Second World War can be seen in many places, including bunker remains and trenches. This brings natural features and historical relics together in the same named landscape area. For orientation, it is helpful to distinguish this natural area from the cultural sites in the village.

Trails and landscape

Uffelte has well-marked walking routes. The signposted Dorpsommetje Oosterzand runs for 5.6 kilometres through Het Oosterzand; a walking route in the Uffelter Binnenveld is more than six kilometres long. The two routes with stated distances differ in length and in the named areas they cover. The Dorpsommetje is the shorter option, while the Binnenveld route is linked to the natural area described above. If you are choosing mainly by distance, the kilometre figures offer a clear point of comparison.

There are mountain biking routes in Uffelte, too. The “Volg het turfvaartje” experience trail was created in 2010. These options appeal to different interests: mountain biking adds another activity alongside walking, while the experience trail’s creation date is a point of interest in its own right. The year describes when it was created and adds a historical reference to a named route alongside the distance figures.

The walking route in the Uffelter Binnenveld has one specific restriction: it is not accessible to dogs because of the sheep. If you are planning to visit with a dog, bear this restriction in mind and check the latest route details before your visit, as it may change.

Village culture and history

The Uffelte church is in the heart of the village. Since 1911, it has been a place for reflection, celebration and gathering. It has around 80 seats and is suitable for concerts, singing or dance performances, and rehearsals. Alongside its long history, it therefore has specific cultural uses that offer a different focus from the trails in the Binnenveld.

Uffelte is an esdorp, a village with characteristic Saxon farmhouses. Other sights include a lock complex on the Drentsche Hoofdvaart with a lock keeper’s house. The statue “De Brugwachter” by Jan Luuks also stands in Uffelte. These features differ in form: the farmhouses shape the character of the settlement, while the lock complex and house, together with the statue, provide other points of reference in the village’s history.

Choose your focus

When deciding what to focus on, it helps to distinguish between the two: in the Binnenveld, landscape and visible traces of the war go together; the church, esdorp, farmhouses, lock complex and statue represent Uffelte’s cultural side. For the walks, you can compare the 5.6-kilometre route through Het Oosterzand with the more than six-kilometre Binnenveld route. The information thus answers different planning questions: What distance are you looking for, and are you more drawn to the natural area or to the village’s history?

Discover more destinations: Zorgvlied, Vledder, Wilhelminaoord, Diever, Wateren, Frederiksoord, Doldersum, Oude Willem.

For the overview of the wider area: Westerveld.