Netherlands > House in Wedde

Netherlands - After the attack on Groningen and the Battle of Heiligerlee the brothers of Orange retreated to Huis te Wedde

The last day has arrived. We wake up in the fortified town of Bourtange. At nine o’clock we sit down for breakfast—a nice way to end the trip. After breakfast, we each set off for home. Marco takes his electric bike via Emmen station to get home. I drive via the Huis te Wedde. Yesterday I learned that this castle played an important role during the Eighty Years’ War. The brothers Lodewijk and Adolf captured this stronghold during their attack on Groningen. They used it as a base of operations for the Battle of Heiligerlee. The house is not open. I walk through the garden around the manor. Nearby, a walking path starts through the meadows toward Weddeveen. I follow it for a while, but it soon becomes clear that this won’t be a short stroll. I turn back and return to the car. I still have a journey ahead of me. I set the navigation to home. The estimated travel time is 2 hours and 50 minutes, with more than 250 kilometers to cover. I join the A7 and pass Groningen, Joure, and Emmeloord. Just past the Hollandse Bridge at Muiden, I run into traffic. Due to roadworks on the A9, traffic has come to a standstill. Fortunately, the delay is only a few minutes. A little after two o’clock, I drive into my own street again. Home.