Holiday apartment in Oudezijl: dike history, ships and hiking route

Oudezijl is a dike settlement with an unusually rich and layered local history. It developed during the 17th century around a lock on the Schanskerdijk between Nieuweschans and Finsterwolde. Today, travel planning here can be centred around several specific themes: architectural history, shipping, art, hiking and regional products. If you are considering a holiday apartment in Oudezijl, these different focal points can help you determine the rhythm you want for your days.

History between the lock and the railway

The name Oudezijl is closely linked to the development of the waterways. When the Statenzijl was built further north on the Westerwoldse Aa in 1707, this place was given the name Oudezijl. The railway is also part of the village’s history: the completion of the Groningen–Nieuweschans line in 1868 gave Oudezijl new impetus. In 1876, a connection to the German railway network was established via Leer. The lock, dike and railway thus tell the story of different periods in which the importance of the village changed.

Locomotievenloods, ships and sculptures

A prominent historic building is the Locomotievenloods at Oudezijl 1. It is a single-storey building dating from 1877, with a semicircular floor plan and twelve sections built from brown bricks. The Locomotievenloods is also a Dutch national monument of architectural and cultural-historical value. The history of shipbuilding becomes tangible through two specific names: the ship Clasina Aidina was built in 1850 at the Viëtor and De Wijk shipyard in Oudezijl. The ship Zwanetta Gerhardina was launched at the same shipyard in Oudezijl on 23 January 1849.

At Oudezijl 14, the Atelier / Cilia de la Court sculpture workshop and sculpture garden is a garden featuring ceramic sculptures. The Graanrepubliek Experience offers another perspective on the region. It includes a guided tour introducing the history, farmers, producers and products of the Graanrepubliek. The tour passes through a distillery, a brewery and a bakery and ends with a tasting platter. Alongside local and architectural history, artisanal production and regional food are therefore also central to travel planning.

Hiking and the village landscape

For active day planning, the “Van schans naar vesting” route is signposted with hiking waypoints. Its surface is clearly divided: 20% of the route runs along unpaved sandy and grassy paths, while the remainder is mostly asphalt. The village landscape adds a distinctive settlement structure to this walking experience. The western side of the Verlengde Hoofdstraat is densely built up and features a mix of houses standing perpendicular to the road and houses with their gables facing the road. Where the road turns towards Nieuw Beerta as the Langeweg, the old Schanskerdijk continues for a short distance past workers’ houses before disappearing into the fields. If you choose a holiday apartment in Oudezijl, these contrasts between built-up roads, the historic dike and different path surfaces can be incorporated into your personal day planning.

Other destinations for your travel planning: Oostwold Gem Oldambt, Blauwestad, Reiderland, Nieuwolda, Nieuweschans, Midwolda, Scheemda and Drieborg.

For the overarching travel overview: Oldambt.