Natuurcamping Landgoed Mariahoeve

Think the Netherlands are flat? You’ve obviously never heard of the Hondsrug. Hike, bike, horse ride and drive your way round this hilly region from a base at Natuurcamping Landgoed Mariahoeve, discovering stone circles, wild heaths and wet moorlands.

This simple and peaceful site is in Drenthe county, a five-minute drive from the village of Grolloo and 15 minutes from the town of Assen. It’s part of a privately owned 20-acre forest estate within Holland's only geopark, the Hondsrug.

Stretching for half an hour’s drive north and south of you, this distinctly undulating region was created 150,000 years ago when the glaciers of the Saalian Ice Age retreated, leaving behind a landscape of rivers, meadows and lakes in between the ridges, where early Europeans would later set up camp and settle.

Head to the Hunebed Centre, 10 minutes’ away in Borger, to learn about the Neolithic stone circles and burial mounds, many of which can be reached within 15 minutes' drive and are also linked by walking and cycling trails.

When you head back to base after all that time travelling, the site is full of places to stretch out in solitude, soaking up the views and the silence, or waiting for a bite on the fishing lake. If do you want some company of the furry kind, canine friends are welcome on site, and barbecues are allowed too.

If you haven’t quite foraged enough from the forests, there are shops and supermarkets in both Grolloo and Assen, as well as takeaways and restaurants.