The new walking marathon Het Koloniepad will be officially opened on the weekend of 18 and 19 March. The path connects the UNESCO World Heritage colonies of Frederiksoord and Veenhuizen with each other and goes over the walking junctions in Drenthe.
The route is exactly 42 kilometers long and crosses three beautiful nature reserves; National Park Drents-Friese Wold, the Doldersummerveld and the Fochteloërveen. A festive weekend will be organized for the opening of Het Koloniepad. A select group of hikers goes through the special cultural landscape of the Colonies of Benevolence, which is characterized by many monuments and a unique orthogonal lane system, through unspoiled nature to the unique prison village.
Get up early
Participants start before dawn at museum De Proefkolonie with coffee and cake. Along the way, the walkers pass various catering establishments, where a snack is waiting and has to be stamped. With a full stamp card, they will receive a souvenir at the finish in Veenhuizen and can eat after an active day.
The Koloniepad is an initiative of both museums and has been set out in close collaboration with Natuurmonumenten, Staatsbosbeheer, Drentse Landschap, Recreation Board Drenthe and the Society of Benevolence. To find a good balance between recreation, in these special areas, and the preservation of flora and fauna, 50 participants can participate per day. Registration for March 18 and 19 is therefore mandatory.
Available from March 20
From March 20, the map, with route and additional information, will be for sale at the visitor centers of museum De Proefkolonie and the Prison Museum. Various tourist and recreational entrepreneurs in the region also sell the walking map. Hikers who find walking 42 kilometers too much can also choose to walk Het Koloniepad in stages. It is advisable to start the route in Frederiksoord, but starting in Veenhuizen, Appelscha, Zorgvlied or Doldersum are also good choices.
You can register for the special opening weekend via www.proefkolonie.nl .