Flow the Collection · 20 May 2026
Drenthe rides gently. The land is flat, the lanes are narrow and quiet, and a cycle path is almost always at hand. Set off from Odoorn and within minutes you are in the heart of the Hondsrug landscape — the long sand ridge that forms the spine of the province.
A landscape with deep roots
The Hondsrug was shaped by ice: a high, dry ridge that has been habitable for thousands of years. On this ground the first farmers built their dolmens, burial monuments of heavy glacial boulders. As you ride they appear again and again, sometimes deep in the woods, sometimes at the edge of a village.
Follow the junction network
The easiest way to ride is via the cycling junction network. You note down a string of numbers and follow the signs; getting lost is almost impossible. This way you string together dolmens, heaths and esdorpen effortlessly and decide for yourself how long you stay out.
Stops along the way
- Borger, with the largest dolmen in the Netherlands and the Hunebedcentrum beside it.
- The heath of the Odoorn forest, at its best when it blooms in August.
- Exloo, an atmospheric esdorp with terraces around the village green.
- The Hunze valley, where the landscape grows wetter and greener.
The right season
Every season has its charm. Spring is fresh and green, summer smells of blooming heather, and in autumn the oak banks turn orange and brown. Even on a grey day the wide, empty land has something calming about it.
Setting off from De Oringer Marke
De Oringer Marke in Odoorn sits centrally between the Hondsrug and the Hunze valley and makes a pleasant base: it has its own bike shed with charging points for e-bikes. Below you will find the hotel and a package that rounds out the cycling.
