Discover Finsterwolde: Church, Windmill and Nature

Finsterwolde combines cultural history with a varied natural experience. Stefanuskerk, Udema’s Molen, the De Tjamme nature reserve and a 12.3 km hiking trail offer different options for planning your trip. Families can choose between historical discoveries, birdwatching and a longer hiking route without limiting their stay to just one type of experience.

Culture between Church and Windmill

Stefanuskerk and its tower in Finsterwolde have been officially protected as Dutch Rijksmonumenten since 2 November 1971. The church is the surviving part of a Romanesque-Gothic cruciform church. The freestanding tower dates from 1820/1822 and therefore represents a separate historical landmark. The present instrument of Stefanuskerk, built by H.H. Freytag in 1808, is also part of its cultural character.

The local events calendar also offers cultural points of interest. The cultural working group in Finsterwolde organises, among other things, (mini-)concerts, exhibitions and a festival of lights at the church, tower and cemetery. These offerings may be of interest when planning your trip if you would like to include events and local culture alongside architectural history.

Udema’s Molen has stood in Ganzedijk since 1868. It is a combined grain and barley-husking mill where grain was milled and barley was hulled into pearl barley. The windmill was built in 1868 on the west side of the Zijldiep. Important for your planning: Udema’s Molen is temporarily unavailable for visits because the mill is not operating. It is nevertheless one of the historical themes of your trip, but should not be planned as a definite stop.

Nature and a Clearly Defined Hiking Route

De Tjamme provides a clear contrast to the cultural monuments. The 210-hectare nature reserve was created by Staatsbosbeheer in the 1970s and 1980s. Forest, grassland and extensive marshland make its landscape varied. Scottish Highland cattle live in De Tjamme all year round. A birdwatching screen allows visitors to observe the birdlife without disturbing the animals.

For an active day trip, the 12.3 km hiking trail from Finsterwolde to Midwolda is available. It starts at the Gezondheidscentrum Reiderland at Bospad 2 in Finsterwolde. Take the full route into account when planning your day and then decide how much of your stay you want to devote to nature and how much to culture.

Choose a Holiday Apartment to Match Your Travel Plans

When looking for a holiday apartment in Finsterwolde, it is worth deciding on your preferred focus in advance: Would you like to explore historic buildings and events, observe the landscape of De Tjamme or plan a longer hiking route? For families with different interests, a combination of cultural sightseeing, peaceful nature observation and a clearly planned hike can be particularly varied. You should take the temporary closure of Udema’s Molen to visitors into account and choose your other destinations accordingly.

Discover More Places

For further trip planning, you can also visit Westerlee, Scheemda, Oostwold Gem Oldambt, Oudezijl, Midwolda, Drieborg, Winschoten and Nieuweschans.

For the overview of the wider region: Oldambt.