Westerwolde and Driestromenland

The Landscape

The landscape of Westerwolde is completely different from the rest of Groningen. Here, you won’t find straight lines, but instead a charming patchwork of winding stream valleys, gentle slopes, and meandering country roads. Arable fields, hay meadows, grassy pastures, hedgerows, and ancient forests blend into a harmonious green mosaic. Villages, hamlets, and historic farmhouses still exude the atmosphere of times gone by. The roots of this unique landscape reach all the way back to the last Ice Age.

The Driestromenland in Westerwolde is a unique corner of Groningen, where three streams converge. Centuries ago, this was an inaccessible and nearly uninhabited marshland, where a network of small brooks slowly carried water toward the sea. It wasn’t until the early Middle Ages that the first farmers dared to settle in this untamed region. Step by step, the rural population grew, and without realizing it, these pioneers helped shape the intimate and distinctive landscape we see today, complete with winding streams, flower-rich meadows, marshy woodlands, and historic farmhouses.