Noordenveld

Noordenveld is a municipality of 31,000 people (2019) in the northwest of the province of Drenthe, The Netherlands. It is located in an area of forests, heathland, and bocage and comprises Roden, Norg, Peize, Veenhuizen, Steenbergen as well as 21 other small villages and hamlets.

Understand

National Prison Museum in Veenhuizen

Noordenveld is a rural municipality in the northwest of the province of Drenthe, bordering the province of Groningen to the north, Friesland to the west, the municipalities of Tynaarlo and Assen to the east, and Midden-Drenthe to the south. The main village of the municipality is Roden, which forms the economic centre. Many of the villages in the municipality are so-called brinkdorpen, which means they are centred around a brink or 'village green'. Another village of touristic interest is Veenhuizen, which used to be a reform housing colony and a penal colony.

Tourist information

There are three tourist information centres in Noordenveld.

• 1 Tourist Information Roden, Brink 31, Roden. Tu-Su 11:00-17:00. at Museum Kinderwereld (updated Aug 2016)
• 2 Tourist Information Norg, Brink 1, Norg. M-F 11:00-17:00; Sa 11:00-13:00. At the public library of Norg (updated Aug 2016)
• 3 Tourist Information Veenhuizen, Oude Gracht 40, Veenhuizen. W-Su 10:00-17:00. (updated Aug 2016)

Get in

By car

Brink with church, Roden

Noordenveld is southwest of the city of Groningen, and northwest of the city of Assen. By car, the area can be accessed via motorways A7 (Amsterdam-Groningen-Germany) and A28 (Utrecht-Zwolle-Groningen).

By bus

The key frequent bus route into Noordenveld is bus line 4, which frequently (2-6 times per hour) runs from the main railway station of Groningen via Peize to Roden (25 minutes, €5). The less frequent bus line 83 (once per hour) runs from Leek, via Roden and Norg, to Assen, and bus line 18 (1x/hour) runs from Assen via Norg to Drachten (Friesland). Veenhuizen can be accessed by using bus line 14 (once per hour), from Assen via Veenhuizen to Drachten. All these bus lines are operated by Qbuzz.

Get around

By bicycle

The best way to get around in Roden and surroundings is by bicycle. Bicycles can be rented at Stuurwold (Nieuweweg 26A, Roden) or at Bike Totaal Stellingwerf (Oosteind 25, Norg).

By bus

The main bus routes that are useful within Noordenveld are bus lines 4 (between Roden and Peize) and 83 (between Roden and Norg). There are no direct bus connections between Roden/Norg and Veenhuizen.

See

Mensinge Museum in Roden

Museums

• 1 Kinderwereld toy museum, Brink 31, Roden. Tu-Su 11:00-17:00. Museum about children's toys in the past and the present Adult €5. (updated Aug 2016)
• 2 Museum Havezate Mensinge, Mensingheweg 7, Roden, ☏ +31 50-5015030. W-Su 13:00-16:30. Museum on the history of life in Drenthe, in a house built in 1381 Adults €6.50, children €3. (updated Aug 2016)
• 3 National Prison Museum (Nationaal Gevangenismuseum), Oude Gracht 1, Veenhuizen. Tu-Su 10:00-17:00. Interactive museum on crime and punishment from 1600 to the present, including the history of Veenhuizen's penal colony. Adult €8.80. (updated Jul 2021)

Parks

• 4 De Tuinen van Weldadigheid, Hospitaallaan 48, Veenhuizen. June-September weekends 11:00-17:00. Gardens and orchard with historic and special vegetables. In the shop you can buy products from the orchard, such as chutneys and juices. Adult €5. (updated Aug 2016)

Dolmen sites

Dolmen D1 near the village of Steenbergen

The province of Drenthe is famous for the large number of dolmen sites (in Dutch 'hunebedden'), megalithic tombs. Two of them are in Noordenveld.

• 5 Dolmen D1, Steenbergen. Relatively complete dolmen with six capstones, easy to access from the main road (Hoofdweg Steenbergen). (updated Aug 2016)
• 6 Dolmen D2, Westervelde. Small dolmen, with 2 of 4 original capstones still in place. (updated Aug 2016)

Do

• 1 Leekstermeer (water sports at the lake, boat rental at Cnossen Leekstermeer), Meerweg 13, Nietap, ☏ +31 594 512 073. Boat rental, sailing, wind surfing, and kayaking at the Leekstermeer lake (updated Aug 2016)
• 2 De Onlanden (to be accessed from Peize, Roderwolde, or the Leekstermeer area). Unique wetlands area in the north of Noordenveld, between the Leekstermeer lake and the city of Groningen. Great for hiking, cycling, horse-riding, or bird-watching. (updated Aug 2016)
• 3 Folly Art Norg, info@follyartnorg.nl. During July and August, see website for exact dates. Walking route with many Folly Art installations, the distance of the route is ~ 8 km. Half way the route there is a pop-up café which provides refreshments. € 15 for a route map and booklet.. (updated Aug 2024)

Buy

• 1 Kaaslust, Hoofdweg 138, Veenhuizen. Tu-Su 13:00-17:00. Traditionally crafted cheese in the original dairy factory of the Veenhuizen agricultural community. Next to the Maallust brewery. (updated Aug 2016)

Eat

Restaurant Brink 15 in Roden

• 1 Cuisinerie Mensinge, Mensingheweg 1, Roden (behind the church), ☏ +31 505013149, info@cuisinerie-mensinge.com. W-Su from 12:00. Small brasserie and restaurant in wonderful surroundings at the entrance to Museum Havezate Mensinge Lunch about €20; dinner from €30. (updated Aug 2016)
• 2 De Jufferen Lunsingh, Hoofdweg 13, Westervelde, ☏ +31 592 612 618. It is advisable to book ahead, especially at weekends. 3 courses from €40. (updated Aug 2016)
• 3 De Peizer Hopbel, Hoofdstraat 3, Peize, ☏ +31 50 503 4040. Tu-Su from 11:00, open for lunch and dinner. (updated Aug 2016)
• 4 Brink 15, Brink 15, Roden, ☏ +31 50 501 0777. Sandwiches, salads, pancakes, and more. (updated Aug 2016)

Drink

• 1 Maallust Brewery, Hoofdweg 140, Veenhuizen, ☏ +31 592 388 971, proeflokaal@maallust.nl. Apr-Sep: Tu-Su 11:00-18:00; Oct-Mar: F-Su 11:00-18:00. This local brewery is located in a former flour mill building, that was part of the Veenhuizen prison village. You can visit the brewery to taste their 8 types of beers, and to do a tour of the brewery. Next door is the Kaaslust cheese shop. (updated Aug 2016)

Sleep

Hotels

A range of hotels, mainly three-star mid-range hotels, is available in Noordenveld, amongst others in the villages of Roden, Norg, and Veenhuizen.

• 1 Fletcher Hotel Langewold, Ceintuurbaan Noord 1, Roden. **** Double room from €79 per night. (updated Aug 2016)
• 2 Hotel Onder De Linden, Brink 27, Roden. Double room from €72 per night. (updated Aug 2016)
• 3 Hotel Het Wapen van Drenthe, Heerestraat 1, Roden. *** Double room from €67 per night. (updated Aug 2016)
• 4 Hotel Norg, Westeind 7, Norg. *** Double room from €80 per night. (updated Aug 2016)
• 5 Hotel Karsten, Brink 6, Norg. *** Double room from €80 per night. (updated Aug 2016)
• 6 Hotel Jachtlust Steenbergen, Hoofdweg 22, Steenbergen. *** Double room from €70 per night. (updated Aug 2016)
• 7 Hotel Bitter & Zoet, Hospitaallaan 16, Veenhuizen. *** Double room from €69 per night. (updated Aug 2016)

Campsites and holiday homes

• 8 Camping Cnossen Leekstermeer, Meerweg 13, Nietap. Campsite along the shores of the Leekstermeer lake (updated Aug 2016)
• 9 Camping Dorado, Norgerweg 19, Roden, ☏ +31 50 501 9261. Campsite just outside of the village of Roden, which also offers small holiday cottages. (updated Aug 2016)
• 10 De Norgerberg, Langeloërweg 63, Norg, ☏ +31 592 612 281. Luxury campsite in the forested area of Norg, with also holiday homes and special accommodations such as a treehouse. (updated Aug 2016)
• 11 Recreatiecentrum Ronostrand, Amerika 16, Een, ☏ +31 592 656 206. Campsite, mobilhomes and cottages, with a small swimming lake and bar/restaurant. (updated Aug 2016)

Go next

• Westerkwartier — wetland and bocage area just across the border in Groningen province, with the Nienoord estate
• Assen — the provincial capital of Drenthe
• Groningen — the economic and cultural centre of the Northern Netherlands