Autumn

A photo from last Sunday - hiking in and around the woods of Odoorn.

Gate

Walking in the Hondsrug area near the villages of Odoorn and Exloo. Signs explain that it's free to walk here though people are warned to keep a safe distance to cattle.

Tour of Drenthe

The Tour of Drenthe (Ronde van Drenthe in Dutch) is an elite men's and women's professional road bicycle event held each year in the province of Drenthe. We saw the men this morning, halfway the villages of Odoorn and Exloo, speeding over a cobbled road.

The Tour of Drenthe has been held since 1960, and was won by a non-Dutchman 7 times. Only in 2001 the race was cancelled due to foot-and-mouth disease.

And when the bikes were gone, lots and lots of support cars followed..

Birches

Photo taken last weekend during a walk in the nearby nature area Het Schapenpark.

Margaretha Church Odoorn

This is the Margaretha Church at the Valtherweg in the village of Odoorn. The Dutch Reformed Church originally dates from the 12th century; but only the vestry -at the back of the church- has original parts.

One of the windows at the other side. It seems as if that small window part there in the middle can be opened..

Schapenpark flock of sheep

Last Sunday we started our hike in the village of Odoorn, and the route passed the Schapenpark nature area. There we saw that the flock of sheep had been gathered. They are usually hard to spot as it´s a large area and they wander about freely. 

I asked a lady what was going on, and she told me that the flock had just been examined.

The flock consists of about 55 Drenthe Heath Sheep. It is a domesticated breed of sheep originating from the Netherlands.

I'm linking to Eileen´s Saturday's Critters. Happy Saturday :)

Odoorn ice-skating rink

On foot from the Schapenpark nature area back to the village of Odoorn we passed the skating rink and canteen belonging to the local ice-skating club 'Schoonmeer'. During the Winter when it is cold enough this area will be flooded so a shallow field of ice will appear. Surrounded by forest it must look nice when everything is frozen.

An ice-skater made from tubes looks out over the field. According to the text underneath the sculpture was most likely put here in 2001 at the 75th anniversary of the ice-skating club. It says:  "1926-2001 IJsvereniging Schoonmeer".

Country lane

An old and quiet lane leading to the village of Odoorn, with a cobblestone road and bicycle path.

Potatoes

Neat rows from which potatoes will start to grow soon.

In the country

One of the few houses along the Boswachter Meelkerlaan, near the Schapenpark nature area and the village of Odoorn. It must be wonderful to live there with all the nature around.

Neighbourhood watch

This sign when you enter the village of Odoorn tells that they have a WhatsApp Neighbourhood Watch. Villagers who see a suspicious situation or person, call the emergency number 112 first and then send a message to the whatsapp group members.

I'm linking to signs, signs.

Update: the round sign means that the bicycle path ends here and cyclists should continue on the road 😀

Phew!

This bench along the Hunebedweg, an unpaved road near Odoorn, repeats what it probably hears most when people go sit on it: "hè hè", meaning: "phew"!

Road bicycle race

We started our hike in the village of Odoorn today and happened to be there at the right time to witness the cycling event ´Dorpenomloop Drenthe´, a road bicycle race through the villages of the province of Drenthe. They started in the city of Assen, and still had about an hour to go from where we saw them in Odoorn. These five men were the leaders.

Sunday hike

 As we're getting deeper into October the weather changes; Autumn is settling now.

Both photos are from the Schapenpark Nature Area near the village of Odoorn, and taken earlier today.

Sunday sun

Another shot from last Sunday morning, taken at the ´Schapenveld´, a nature area near Odoorn.

Schapenpark

This photo was taken during our walk in the nature area ´Schapenpark´ near the small villages of Exloo and Odoorn, yesterday afternoon. Temperatures were about +4°C  (about 39°F), and the snow was getting very soft and messy.

And by now, it's Monday around 7pm at the moment here, all snow has gone!

down again..

I'm standing on the top floor of the watchtower 'Poolshoogte' (lit. 'Altitude of pole') here, just before going down the stairs again. It is located near the village Odoorn at the edge of a large nature area with trees and heather, not so far from where we live.

horse parking

"This resting place is presented to you by The Association of Horse Tourism Drenthe."

"Parking is at your own risk."

I have seen dog parkings before, but this 'horse parking' was new! We found it near the watch tower and restaurant 'Poolshoogte', just outside Odoorn, at the start of our hike in the nature area 'Schapenpark' that I showed you yesterday.

Linking to signs, signs.

'Schapenpark'

Last Sunday was grey and rainy. We nevertheless put our walking shoes on in the afternoon and enjoyed the fresh air here in this wide nature area not far from the village Odoorn.
Until the early 1970's the area used to be all forest, but in 1972 a huge storm caused severe damage. Part of the terrain was planted again with new trees, another part was kept for sheep to graze on. Since then that part, here on the photo, is known as 'Schapenpark' ('Sheep park').

Sunday hike

With the sun shining this morning we decided to go for a hike, starting in the town of Odoorn. On many spots the trails were wet like this one, the result of heavy rains in the past days. 

Another example here on the heath, some paths were completely flooded.

But it is still beautiful out there!