Discover Buinen: Hotels on the eastern slope of the Hondsrug

Buinen brings together village history, archaeological heritage and the landscape of the Hondsrug. The village lies on the eastern slope of the Hondsrug. When choosing a place to stay, these themes can help you decide what to focus on: Would you like to explore the development of the village, put the railway traces into context, or learn more about forests and waterways? When looking for a hotel in Buinen, you can start by narrowing down your options according to these interests. The following places and landscape features show how the history and surroundings differ.

Archaeological heritage and village history

Hunebed D28 near Buinen is managed by Het Drentse Landschap as an archaeological monument. The village’s medieval history offers a different perspective: Buinen originated as an esdorp (a village with communal arable land) and daughter settlement of Borger. The Prinses Beatrix-eik connects the village with a later, precisely dated event. It was planted in 1938 to mark the birth of Princess Beatrix, later Queen Beatrix. D28 and the oak thus point to different periods: archaeological heritage on the one hand, and the planting in 1938 on the other.

Railway traces

The railway’s history can be seen in several local landmarks. In 1905, the Noord-Ooster Lokaal Spoorwegmaatschappij opened a station in Buinen on the Zwolle–Stadskanaal line. The Spoorstraat is a surviving reminder of Buinen’s former railway history. The Spoordok in Buinen was excavated again in 2005, and walking paths were laid out there. The dates mark different events: the station opening in 1905 and the re-excavation of the Spoordok in 2005.

Forests, paths and water

The forests between Ees, Buinen and Exloo contain numerous pingo remnants. They formed during the last ice age as ice lenses grew in the frozen ground. Their formation adds a geological perspective to the village’s history: these landforms were created by processes in the ground during the ice age.

The Ruiterroute Hondsrug Buinen runs through the forests between Borger, Buinen and Exloo. Light brown square signs with a white horseshoe mark the route; follow these signs as you go. There is a parking space for horse trailers at Manege Les Chevaux in Buinen for users of the Ruiterroute. Calling ahead is recommended. The paths at the Spoordok offer a different point of reference: walking paths were laid out there when the site was excavated again in 2005. The signposted Ruiterroute and the walking paths created at the Spoordok are therefore described in different ways.

The Achterste Diep stream still flows east of Buinen. Together with the Voorste Diep, it flows into the Hunze. Between 1926 and 1930, the Voorste Diep was partially canalised during the construction of the Kanaal Buinen-Schoonoord. The watercourse that still flows east of the village and the historically dated changes to the Voorste Diep thus represent different aspects of the landscape.

Discover more destinations: Ees, Valthe, Drouwen, Odoornerveen, Bronneger, Drouwenerveen, Odoorn, Tweede Exloërmond.

For the broader travel overview: Borger-Odoorn.