Dalen: Walking, Cycling and Mill History

When choosing Dalen for a stay, you may have different priorities: walking, cycling, and places related to culture and history. Four themed walking routes, the “Regiorondje Dalen” cycling route, and the De Bente and Jan Pol windmills offer specific points of interest. Plopsa Indoor Coevorden is also located in Dalen.

Themed walks

Four themed walking routes explore culture and history, nature, health and exercise, and agriculture and farm life. Most of the routes start at the Dorpskerk in the centre of Dalen. The village centre is easy to reach by car and by train via Dalen railway station. This gives you a specific point of reference and two ways to get there when planning your stay. The themes differ considerably, offering a choice of interests even before you select a route.

The “Culture and History” themed route on the Dalen walking route is 9.1 kilometres long. It passes cultural and historical sites through the heart of Dalen and continues to the border with Coevorden. Along the way, there are several information boards with pictures and a QR code. You can use the QR code to listen to information on your smartphone in either Drents or Dutch. The route thus combines its cultural and historical focus with the option of listening to information along the way.

Windmills and other attractions

Molen De Bente dates from 1814 and is one of the oldest windmills in Drenthe. Volunteers ensure that the mill can turn regularly. Molen Jan Pol is an interactive museum where visitors can see and take part, with a particular focus on children. The two windmill attractions offer different experiences: De Bente focuses on the history of the windmill and its regular operation, while Jan Pol invites visitors, especially children, to look around and get involved. Plopsa Indoor Coevorden is also located in Dalen.

Landscape and cycling

The area around Dalen is characterised by raised fields and cultivated peatlands. The Drostendiep watercourse runs alongside the village. The local landscape therefore includes both the landforms around Dalen and a watercourse beside the village. These add further specific features to the walking routes and local attractions that you may want to consider when planning a stay.

For cycling, the 35-kilometre “Regiorondje Dalen” route is another option. By comparison, the “Culture and History” themed route on the Dalen walking route is 9.1 kilometres long. These distances refer to different ways of getting around. When planning, it therefore makes sense to first consider whether you would rather walk or cycle, then take the length of the relevant route into account.

This way, your search can reflect your own travel plans and the places that interest you in Dalen.

Discover more destinations: Benneveld, Dalerveen, Coevorden, Meppen, Oosterhesselen, Dalerpeel, Gees, Wachtum.

See the main travel overview: Coevorden.