10 villages

Hop on your bike in Hoogeveen and discover the traces of the peat colony past around Hoogeveen. Follow the marked route through 10 villages: Fluitenberg, Pesse, Stuifzand, Tiendeveen, Nieuweroord, Noordscheschut, Hollandscheveld, Nieuwlande, Elim, and Nieuw Moscou.
Roelof van Echten was the founder of Hoogeveen. In 1625, he bought a large peat area around Zuidwolde. The Company of 5000 acres (hectares) was established for peat extraction, and a canal with side channels was dug for the development of this area. This is the origin of Hoogeveen. In the shopping center of Hoogeveen (Hoofdstraat), the artwork 'De Cascade' twists as a reminder of the canal.
From Fluitenberg and Pesse, you then cycle through the valley of the Alten Diep with beautiful views. In the east of Hoogeveen, the peat colony’s rectangular landscape becomes visible. Peat extraction began here in the 17th century. In the swampy peat areas, dead plants had formed a meter-thick layer of peat after hundreds of years. Cut and dried, the peat was used as fuel. Settlements and waterways were created for peat extraction, and here the settlements of peat workers emerged, which later grew into today's villages.
The route starts at Crerarstraat in Hoogeveen. You can park for free at the NS station. It is also possible to start the route at other points according to the signage. The route follows the following bicycle junctions: 34, 09, 20, 39, 36, 23, 24, 38, 37, 16, 14, 50, 51, 52, 19, 91, 15, 13, 12, 35, 33, and 31. The route can be shortened at the bicycle junctions: 36, 37, 16, 14, 19, and 15.