Discover Wezuperbrug: Oranjekanaal, walking routes and outdoor activities

Wezuperbrug offers several clearly distinct themes to consider when planning your trip: the Oranjekanaal, walking routes through a variety of landscapes, a bridge with historical significance, and outdoor activities. If you are looking for a hotel, you can first consider which of these aspects you would like to shape your stay. Natural and cultural landscapes, a destination by the water, or a day trip each offer a different focus.

The Oranjekanaal and the landscape

Sleenerzand is a 1,600-hectare subarea of Zuidoost-Drenthe. The areas in Zuidoost-Drenthe are freely accessible year-round; follow the local access instructions on the signs. Wezuperbrug lies on the Oranjekanaal. The canal is also a point of reference for the historic bridge and an artwork that recalls its former role as a shipping route. This gives the area both a landscape-related and a cultural-historical point of interest.

Walking routes with different destinations

The Wezuperbrug–De Kiel walking route passes through old cultivated land with planted forests, as well as remaining heathland and moorland lakes. The route also includes an artwork based on characteristic Drenthe boulders. This gives you two ways to experience the same path: its varied landscape features and its connection to art. If you would like to choose a walk based partly on its cultural connections, the boulder artwork provides a specific point of interest.

A second walking route runs from Wezup through old cultivated areas, pastureland and forests to the bridge over the Oranjekanaal. Unlike the route to De Kiel, which features heathland, moorland lakes and boulder art, this route has the canal bridge as a specific destination. If you prefer a clear destination by the water when walking, this difference can help you choose. Pastureland and forests give the second route its own landscape features.

The bridge and art by the canal

The Wezuperbrug bridge over the Oranjekanaal opened in 1861. The artwork Le Pont Perdu by Joost Barbiers recalls the canal’s former role as a shipping route. The two points of interest have different historical associations: the bridge has a specific opening year, while the artwork refers to the waterway’s former use. The canal therefore features both as a landmark and as a subject in the area’s history.

The artworks also have different associations: Le Pont Perdu recalls the history of shipping, while the artwork on the Wezuperbrug–De Kiel route is based on characteristic Drenthe boulders. If you would like to include art in your plans, you can choose between a connection to the canal’s history and a work featuring boulders.

Outdoor activities in Wezuperbrug

Molecaten Outdoor Drenthe offers day trips in Wezuperbrug, with a large climbing park and other outdoor activities. The village is also home to an artificial ski slope, the only artificial ski slope in Drenthe. These offer different kinds of activities: a day-trip option with a climbing park and additional outdoor activities, and the ski slope as a distinct feature. If activities are the main focus of your trip, you can consider these alongside the walking routes when deciding whether to visit Wezuperbrug.

Discover more destinations

Zweeloo, Wachtum, Aalden, Coevorden, Meppen, Zwinderen, Dalen, Schoonoord

For the overview of the wider region: Coevorden.