Schoonoord: Megalithic Tomb, Museum and Sleenerzand

In Schoonoord, a large megalithic tomb and the Ellert en Brammert Open-Air Museum represent different historical themes; Sleenerzand adds forests and walking trails to the picture. If you are looking for a hotel in Schoonoord, you can first consider whether archaeological sites, depictions of past ways of life or walking trails should shape your stay. The themes range from a single monument to a longer walking route.

Hunebed, Burial Mound and Remembrance

Hunebed D49 is also known as De Papeloze Kerk and is an exceptionally large megalithic tomb. Its capstone weighs 25,000 kilograms. A walk from Schoonoord to the Papeloze Kerk follows the Oranjekanaal, through the woods and across an ancient landscape with archaeological sites, before reaching the hunebed. The route thus connects the canal area and woodland landscape with a destination at a specific Stone Age monument.

The Galgenberg is a burial mound in Sleenerzand. The mound is believed to be the burial place of the leader of Sleenerzand from about 3,500 years ago. Another historical memory is preserved by the Vliegtuigmonument in Sleenerzand: it commemorates seven soldiers who were shot down with their bomber and killed on 14 May 1943. The burial mound and the memorial therefore represent different historical connections within the same woodland landscape.

Everyday Life at the Open-Air Museum

The Ellert en Brammert Open-Air Museum in Schoonoord shows how the people of Drenthe lived and made their homes in the past. The museum comprises 26 buildings and other structures. These include a sod hut, a tollhouse, a school, a farmhouse café, a sawmill and a forge. There is also a Saxon farmhouse with a hearth house, a prison, a carpenter’s workshop, a church and a smallholding. The different buildings present the historical theme in a different way from the individual archaeological sites in the landscape. For children, there is a large playground and a petting zoo.

Sleenerzand and Its Walking Routes

Sleenerzand is a woodland area covering more than 1,600 hectares between Noord-Sleen and Schoonoord. The “Jeneverbesroute Sleenerzand” walking route passes through the area in the southeast of Drenthe. The “Archeologie Sleenerzand” route also follows traces of the past. Dogs may run off-leash under control along this route; on a short section where livestock graze, they must be kept on a leash. This rule applies to the route mentioned and therefore differs from a general description of the woodland area.

The Kibbelkoele recreation area in the Sleenerzand forestry area includes a swimming lake and a wide sandy beach. This adds another aspect of the landscape to its archaeological themes. Those primarily interested in historical traces can find them along the “Archeologie Sleenerzand” route and at the Galgenberg; those who see the woods as a walking area can also consider the Jeneverbesroute.

Walking on Different Scales

The walk from Schoonoord to the Papeloze Kerk is described as following the Oranjekanaal, passing through woods and crossing an ancient landscape with archaeological sites. The Pieterpad offers a different point of reference: it passes 500 metres from Schoonoord and is 24 kilometres long; the section runs from Schoonloo to Sleen. The 500 metres refers to the route’s proximity to Schoonoord, while the 24 kilometres refers to the length of the walking route between its stated endpoints. These details therefore describe different scales and help distinguish the two walking routes.

The themes described locally range from the hunebed and the open-air museum to routes with different landscape and historical connections.

Discover more destinations: Dalerveen, Wachtum, Zwinderen, Oosterhesselen, Coevorden, Dalerpeel, Benneveld, Erm

Go to the main travel overview: Coevorden.