Nature & Landscape History Cultural Heritage Visitor Info Addresses Hotels

The coast of Groningen offers the spaciousness and quietness that has gone lost almost everywhere else. From the sea dike, you can oversee the Waddensea beyond the sandbars and dunes of Rottum. It has been decided that this is the only part of the Netherlands where nature can go its course. And in the sea clay area, cyclists and hikers will find an endless emptiness, but also many old farms, villages grown still, wierden (terps in Groningen), borgen (country houses in Groningen), canals, dykes, and kolken (remainders of dike break throughs). The city Groningen, the name given to the province, forms an important cultural centre and as a railway junction a fine exit base for an exploration of the entire coastal area.

See also general information on the Wadden Sea.
See also general information on the The Netherlands.

Nature & Landscape

Sea and Coastline
Wadden Sea: shallow coastal sea, part of international tidal waters, pre- eminently the breeding ground for the North Sea. Here you can find Common Seals, Grey Seals and lots of coastal birds and fish. Along the Wadden Sea coast, the Groningen country is being protected by the old Ommelander sea dyke. On the sea side of the dyke you can find salt- marshes.
Dollard (4400 ha): a brakish tidal water area, which came into being in the 13th century and is actually the estuary of the river Eems. Along the sides of the Dollard are salt- marshes. They only get washed over when there is a storm tide and thus are grown over by salt tolerant plants. Here bird types such as the avocet and the redshank brood. Meanwhile, it is an important resting area for hundred thousands of shore birds. The bare mud flats are flooded by every high tide. Good view from the Ommelander sea dike; there is a bird hut at Nieuw Statenzijl.
Ommelanderzeedijk (540 ha): historical sea dike from the Dollard till the Lauwersmeer; offers an excellent view on the Dollard and the rest of the Wadden area and the salt- marshes.
Uithuizerwad (45 ha): contains a salt- marsh outside the dyke and a grassland inside the dike, which is important for birds as a fleeing place for high tides. During migratory times you see shore birds and geese. Not accessible, but there is a great over view from the dike and from the restaurant on top of it.
Groninger Salt- marshes (185 ha in total): some salt- marshes that offer hiding places for high tides for many shore and field birds. Not accessible but you can get a good view from the dike. For excursions: Waddencentre, Pieterburen.
Lauwersmeer: used to be the Lauwers Sea, but dikes were built around it in 1969; the NO- part is the military practise terrain Marnewaard, the remaining part is a National Park (4617 ha) with mainly grass and reedlands, swampforests and water. Especially the grasslands have an abundance of flora (e.g. orchids, Parnassia); important as a brooding area for stilt- birds (in particular the ruff) and resting area for migratory birds and winter guests (ducks and geese). The National park is freely accessible via biking tracks and hiking paths. Birds in the Lauwersmeer

Other natural areas
Reitdiepdal (225 ha): meadow and creek area along the Reitdiep, formed in the broad basin of the old river the Hunze; important for field birds. Accessible via biking tracks and hiking paths.
Schildmeer (260 ha): water and swamp area, came into being by peat- cutting; reed and grass lands, thicket and forest. Especially the humid grass lands are important, for plants (water strawberry, snakeweed) as well as for field birds (Snipe, Redshank). In the reedlands, also different types brood (Water rail, Savi’s Warbler). Partly water sports area. Quite accessible via hiking paths. There is a bird hut as well.
Ennemaborg (445 ha): extensive country estate with a borg (country house) and accompanying coach house, park forest, forest, rural and recreational and water area. With an abundance of fungusses, stinze plants (Winter aconite, Snowdrop, Lady’s Mock, Arum, Star-of-Bethlehem) and deers. Accessible via bike tracks or hiking paths.
Goldhoorn (130 ha): lateral moraine area with forests and grass lands; important for bird types like Field Owl, Icterine Warbler, Winchat and Partridge. Freely accessible via roads and paths.
Scheemdermeer (130 ha) situated in a lateral moraine area with forests and grass lands. Freely accessible via biking tracks and hiking path.

Cultural landscapes
In the northern sea clay area, you will find mainly fields. The central sea clay area to the north of Groningen is more or less dominated by grasslands with stock breeding. There are not many buildings; the most greatest ‘herenboerderijen’ (‘manor farms’) are scattered over the vast plains.

Nature centres
Arboretum Eenrum: botanical garden with ca. 2000 types of trees. Free entrence. Ernstheemsterpad, Eenrum (bus from station Winsum). Tel. 0595 491913.
Waddencentre Pieterburen: information centre on the Wadden Sea. Not for free. Hoofdstraat 83, Pieterburen (bus from station Baflo). Tel. 0595 528522.
Seal Nursery: Hoofdstraat 94A, Pieterburen (bus from station Baflo). Tel. 0595 528285.
Domies Toen: Botanical garden, alledgedly the oldest in the Nederlands. Not for free. Hoofdstraat 76, Pieterburen (bus vanaf station Baflo). Tel. 0595 528636
Nature museum: geology, land reclamation, nature and landscape of Groningen . Special exhibition on the ice ages. Not for free. Praediniussingel 59, Groningen. Tel. 050 3676170, www.natuurmuseum.org
Hortus Haren: botanical, Chinese en Keltic garden. Kerklaan 34, Haren (bus or train taxi from station Groningen). Tel. 050 5370053, www.hortusharen.nl.
De Heemtuin: nature and environmental centre, heemtuin (10 ha) with peat district flora and the Stinsebos. Free entrence. Nieuweweg 127, Muntendam (bus from station Groningen). Tel. 0598 632770