Holiday apartment in Havelte: Discover Hunebeds and Heathland

Havelte combines prehistoric traces, heathland and woodland landscapes with signposted routes for different day plans. Those who choose a holiday apartment in Havelte as their base will find themes here that can easily be combined: an archaeological monument on the Hunebeddenweg, the Holtingerveld nature reserve, historic farmhouses, a grain mill and routes on foot or by mountain bike.

Holiday apartment in Havelte between heathland and prehistory

The prehistoric landscape of Holtingerveld lies on the outskirts of Havelte. The Havelterberg is located in the European Natura 2000 protected area Holtingerveld, making it an important landscape reference point for exploring the area. At the Hunebeddenweg on the Havelterberg, an archaeological monument comprises hunebeds D53 and D54, traces of Stone Age settlements and a group of Iron Age burial mounds.

Hunebed D53 is particularly striking: it is the second-largest megalithic tomb in the Netherlands. Its history is unusual, as D53 was relocated because of German Luftwaffe plans for an airfield, later excavated again and reassembled. Hunebed D54 is somewhat smaller than D53 and lies in a small sandy area surrounded by grass. Together with the other traces on the Havelterberg, this creates a rich cultural and landscape experience.

Signposted routes for short and longer days

The IJsroute Havelte is a signposted 5 km route through the Holtingerveld nature reserve. It starts at the Toegangspoort Holtingerveld at Van Helomaweg 18, where there are many free parking spaces. The signposted 7.2 km Ommetje Old Haovelte route starts at Piet Soerplein in Havelte and leads past the brinken with authentic farmhouses and along old forest paths.

The signposted 9.2 km Haovelterbarg route combines more landscape and history. It passes the Korenmolen and runs through the Holtingerveld nature reserve with burial mounds and hunebeds. The also signposted 5 km Overcinge route runs between forests and rolling meadows at Landgoed Overcinge and past the monumental farmhouses of the hamlet of Eursinge. The different route lengths help you plan the right distance for each day of your holiday.

Havelte also offers clearly distinct options for mountain bike tours. MTB Havelte West includes a 16 km blue route suitable for beginners and experienced riders, as well as an additional 6 km red loop at weekends. MTB Havelte Oost is a 19 km mountain bike route through extensive forests, rolling heathland and typical Drenthe landscapes; it can be extended with an 8 km loop.

Grain mill, shepherd's flock and vineyard

The Havelter Molen is part of Havelte's visible history. The grain mill was built in 1914, replacing an octagonal gallery Dutch windmill that was struck by lightning in the same year. In summer, the Holtinger Schaapskudde heads out onto the heathland with the shepherds every day. The flock leaves the sheepfold at around 9:30 a.m. and returns at around 4:30 p.m.

For a gourmet highlight, Wijngoed Havelte offers tours of the vineyard followed by a wine tasting. The Tourist Info Punt Havelte provides maps, guides and brochures, as well as information about local attractions, museums, events and activities. Bicycle, hiking and horse-riding routes are also available there. This makes it possible to combine nature, culture and regional discoveries when planning accommodation in Havelte.

When choosing your holiday apartment in Havelte, the experiences you want may be the deciding factor: the routes described range from a 5 km walk through Holtingerveld to the 19 km mountain bike route with a possible extension. Added to this are the archaeological monuments, historic buildings, farmhouses, the shepherd's flock and the vineyard as different holiday themes.

Discover more destinations

Wateren, Vledderveen, Nijensleek, Zorgvlied, Wapserveen, Wilhelminaoord, Diever, Vledder

For the overview of the wider area: Westerveld.