Holiday apartment in Gerkesklooster: Monastic culture and routes by the water

Gerkesklooster combines monastic history with distinctive cultural landmarks and routes through the countryside and along the water. This gives history, cycling and waterways specific points of interest.

Holiday apartment in Gerkesklooster between church and culture

The Hervormde Kerk in Gerkesklooster is located in a preserved part of the former Cistercian monastery. The surviving brewery of Jeruzalem Monastery was converted into a church in 1629. Parking is available at Poorthoek 1 A near the monumental church of Gerkesklooster.

There are also distinctive themes beyond the monastic history: the De Lauwers wind engine is of cultural-historical and industrial-archaeological significance. The De Tweeling sculpture symbolises the twin villages of Gerkesklooster and Stroobos. The wind engine adds a technical theme to the monastic history.

Routes through the countryside and along the water

For active days, the “Gerkesklooster” cycle route starts at the Generatiehuis, a former school building at Hoogstraten 16 in Gerkesklooster. On the return journey to Gerkesklooster, the “Gerkesklooster – Burum – De Keegen” route follows the Trekweg along the water. Starting at the former school building gives the cycle tour a clear local connection, while the return journey takes in the section of water along the Trekweg. When planning your day, the return journey along the Trekweg can be treated as a separate water section.

Another route is “Rondje Gerkesklooster – De Lauwers”. It leads through the countryside from the Frisian village of Gerkesklooster via the Groningen village of Visvliet to Pieterzijl. The Frisian starting point and the two villages in the Groningen area mark a regional transition. This route therefore connects several localities with a course through the countryside. When choosing a route, this water section contrasts with a route that passes through several villages via Visvliet and Pieterzijl.

Castles, parks and beaches in the surrounding region

Fogelsangh State, a castle, is located close to Gerkesklooster. Coendersborg and Panser, both castles, are also in the surrounding area. Further afield in the region lies Rinsma State, also a castle.

Klein Zwitserland is a park in the vicinity of Gerkesklooster. Nienoord is also a park in the surrounding area. In the wider region around Gerkesklooster, Westerstrand and Oosterstrand are beaches. Westerstrand and Oosterstrand add another type of landscape to the castles and parks.

Culture, routes and regional destinations

For those interested in culture, the historical focus is on the Hervormde Kerk, the former brewery and De Tweeling. On the route to Burum and De Keegen, the return journey along the Trekweg combines a section of water with a local connection; the route via Visvliet and Pieterzijl, by contrast, passes through several villages in the Frisian and Groningen areas. The two routes therefore differ in their course: one is a return journey by the water, while the other involves a regional change of locality.

Discover more places in the same region here: Augustinusga, Surhuizum, Buitenpost, Surhuisterveen, Twijzelerheide.

For the overarching travel overview: Achtkarspelen.