Along the Reitdiep

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58.7 km

This 60-kilometre tour takes in the beautiful Reitdiep or Hunzedal valley. Enjoy charming villages, churches and views of the ancient artificial dwelling hill village. Some destinations on the route are really worth the detour.

Would you call this a river, or a canal? Well, the Reitdiep is really a bit of both. To complicate matters even more, it actually constitutes the old Hunze, which in turn is the upper course of the Drentse Aa river. The first inhabitants settled in the Hunze valley a long time before the Common Era. The waterway later functioned as a main lifeline for the city for many years. Boats sailed out to sea from here and the Hunze was straightened to keep the lifeline navigable. The river was transformed into a canal, which is particularly prominent between the city and Garnwerd. Further to the north, you will find the Reitdiep meandering through the Groningen countryside as it used to.