Coevorden, Schoonebeek, Hoogstede

In the southwest of Drenthe, peat was already being extracted in the Middle Ages. The village of Schoonebeek was founded in the 13th century as a result of this activity. It lay between raised bogs and sandy ridges. Back then, the Schoonebekerdiep was a natural stream that played an important role in draining water from the surrounding peatlands.

In 1876, the Netherlands and Germany (then Prussia) signed an agreement to connect Dutch and Prussian canals. As part of this, a canal was planned from Coevorden to the German Alte Picardie and the Süd-Nord-Kanal near Georgsdorf. It was intended to create a new cross-border shipping route.

The Dutch section was completed in 1884. It followed the lower course of the Schoonebekerdiep, which also helped improve drainage of the peat areas.

However, shipping on the Picardie-Coevorden Canal never really took off, mainly due to high canal tolls in Germany. Around 1965, all navigation stopped completely, and the canal now serves only as a drainage channel.

Experience this piece of history and the peaceful nature around the canals, which today mark the quiet transition from Germany into Drenthe.