Ootmarsum, Coevorden, Odoorn

From the collaboration with Flow Collection, a series of four themed cycling routes was created. Each route starts and ends at one of their hotels and is part of a full cycling package across three provinces. Along the way, nature, culture and local experiences alternate. You can cycle the routes individually, but they also link seamlessly for those following the full package.

This is the third route from Ootmarsum to Odoorn, largely themed around the border area between Springendal and the German hills, showing why so much smuggling took place here.

The Springendal, together with the Mosbeek valley, forms a small-scale, water-rich landscape shaped by meltwater from the Ice Age. Streams meander through farmland, heath and forests, and prehistoric burial mounds lie on higher ground. This landscape continues into the nearby German hills, like the Poascheberg and Lönsberg, letting you cross the border almost unnoticed. The high elevation, clean springs and fertile soil have attracted people for thousands of years. Traces of this past can still be found: burial mounds, old field patterns and early medieval settlement remains.

The border location long influenced daily life. Up until the late 20th century, this remote area was known for smuggling. Butter, coffee and cigarettes were moved over narrow paths, through stream valleys and past farms. Sometimes it was a local with an extra bag of butter, other times it involved organized networks. To stop it, customs officers patrolled the border, often on foot or by bike, easily recognized by their uniforms and distinctive caps. It was a game of cat and mouse where knowing the terrain was just as important as speed. Ride this route today, and the openness and calm remain, but with a little imagination, the shady trails still feel like scenes from a gripping novel.


This Premium cycling route was curated by our editor Désirée van Uffelen in collaboration with Flow Collection.