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Hiking and Staying Overnight Along the Drentsche Aa
Dutch Wilderness in the Drentsche Aa: Off-Grid on the Grid
In the diverse forest area of the Drentsche Aa, Cabiner offers a unique way to spend the night in the Dutch wilderness. They have scattered eight cabins throughout this vast forest, kilometers apart from one another. You’ll find them tucked away in the woods. They’re accessible only on foot and completely self-sufficient—in other words, “off-grid.”
We set out to explore two cabins and set aside three days for the trip. Read on to find out how you can completely disconnect from civilization and immerse yourself in nature in just a few days.
You can choose to stay one or more nights in a single cabin, or you can go on a hike and sleep in a different cabin each night. By partnering with Staatsbosbeheer and emphasizing off-grid accommodations, you’re encouraged to be mindful of the environment. The cabins are designed to be relocated over time, so that the area can fully return to its original state.
In the forest area, you’ll find several swimming lakes with small beaches. The water is azure blue and surrounded by idyllic white-sand beaches. The lakes are surrounded by forests with picnic tables and restrooms.
Hiking Trip in Drentsche Aa Nature Park
Day 1: Hike along the Drentsche Aa from P1 to Cabin C8
From P1 to Cabin C8 (12 km) *****
Our hike begins on this beautiful summer day at parking lot P1. After picking up the meal kits we’d ordered, we set out on our hike. The 12-kilometer route through the quiet zone takes you along winding paths, between ancient trees, and past idyllic little ponds. The surroundings offer an ever-changing panorama: peaceful forests, open fields, and the occasional pond or pool—and with that, quite a lot of mosquitoes!
After a brisk hike—partly due to our backpacks, which are still quite heavy—we reach the beautifully situated Cabin C8. Cabiner’s cabins are equipped with two double beds, a wood-burning stove that heats both the room and the shower water, and a water pump that allows you to draw your own potable groundwater. At the back of the cabin is a small bathroom with a composting toilet. We cook over a wood fire in a cast-iron pot. We take our trash back with us to the starting point. This experience forces us to be mindful of our resources and reminds us of the value of water, energy, and food.
Day 2: Hike along the Drentsche Aa from Cabin C8 to Cabin C5
From Cabin C8 to Cabin C5 via P2 (5 km)*****
A storm is raging across the Netherlands tonight, but we’re sleeping soundly and staying warm and dry. After a healthy breakfast with perfectly ripe seasonal fruit, we continue our journey toward Cabin C5. This is a relatively short route of about 5 kilometers. Halfway there, we make a stop at P2 at Bospaviljoen De Woudstee. If you don’t want to hike long distances, or if you’re traveling with small children, you can choose to park your car here. P2 is only 2.5 km from both Cabin C5 and C8. De Woudstee also serves food, so you could make this hike with a lighter pack.
Cabin C5 is not far from the old Gasselterveld sand quarry, now a swimming lake. After a refreshing dip in the clear water, we take a walk around the lake, where there’s a pleasant walking trail. The soothing sounds of nature are occasionally punctuated by the voices of children who are clearly having fun at the small water adventure park by the lake. This brings our total for Day 2 to 11 km of walking.
We spend the evening cooking over our wood fire and listening to the birds and the toads swimming in a nearby little pond. We also enjoy the simple one-pot meal prepared on the wood stove. The stars twinkle brightly in the sky, and we imagine the badgers and wolves that also live in this area but are rarely seen, as evidenced by the diaries in the cabins.
Day 3: Hiking along the Drentsche Aa
From Cabin C5 to P1 (12 km) *****
It’s our last day, and it’s time to head back to P1. The 12-kilometer route takes us along new and familiar trails, past the numbered stones that mark the parcel numbers of the forest sections. These stones date back to the Ice Age and serve as a reminder of the time when this area was cleared for timber harvesting. Today we also cross the well-known Pieterpad. Yet we only come across two hikers.
At Ieberen Lake, near P1, we take one last dip and have a drink. Finally, we drop off the trash we’ve collected in the designated containers at P1 and head home, feeling satisfied and refreshed—as if we’d been away for a week! By the way, there are restrooms and a shower area at P1.
A large portion of the Drentsche Aa forest area is managed by Staatsbosbeheer. When the forest was established, roughly a century ago, a grid of 300 x 300-meter forest plots was chosen, with timber harvesting as the primary goal. Nowadays, nature is allowed to take its course, and the intention is actually for the boundaries between the forest, ponds, and heathland to blur. Here, you can walk through the woods for hours without encountering a single person and enjoy the silence and serenity of nature.
For a unique nature experience with a minimal ecological footprint, Cabiner’s cabins are the perfect choice. You can read more about their environmental impact on the Cabiner website.
Local Partnerships for Sustainable Accommodations
Cabiner.nl partners with local businesses such as the natural foods store De Ieme, which provides the meal kits. The kits contain fresh and organic products that are perfect for a sustainable stay in nature. By using these packages, you support the local economy and enjoy seasonal recipes developed specifically for the cabins.
The Hondsrug in Drenthe: UNESCO Global Geopark
Our hike took us across the Hondsrug, a sand ridge that formed during the penultimate Ice Age and is part of the UNESCO Global Geopark. These sand ridges were where the first farmers settled, well over 3,000 years B.C. The stone burial monuments they left behind are better known as hunebeds. This area offers a rich history and a beautiful natural landscape that you can explore during your stay.
This article was created in collaboration with Cabiner.com
I am an interior designer, photographer, and an avid nature hiker. I’ve lost my heart to the simplicity and beauty of hiking vacations. I also appreciate the unique experience of a stay that tells a story about local history or culture. Here, I share my stories and tips—whenever possible, with a light footprint and always with a heart full of wonder.
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Peloponnese Hiking Tour
A really beautiful six-day hike from Bologna to Florence. Communication with NatureTravelLab and the local agent was excellent. The information packet was waiting for us at the hotel in Bologna, and the app with the route worked great. Luggage transport was well organized every day, and our bags were waiting for us each time we arrived at our new room! We covered more than 1,400 meters of elevation gain, but unfortunately didn’t always get the views we’d hoped for due to cloud cover and some drizzle. Most days had great hiking weather. It was wonderful to walk into Florence on foot and stay there an extra day.
We experienced the Walk of the Gods as a great adventure. Our start in Bologna didn’t go quite as planned because our app wasn’t working yet and we couldn’t find a single sign for Via degli Dei in the square. Fortunately, we were quickly able to join two young hikers from Florence who were also doing the hike. After a wonderful night’s stay at the beautiful Rio Verde agritourism farm, Day 2 went much better with the help of the hiking app. Along the way, we enjoyed stunning views, met some great fellow hikers, and sampled delicious local dishes. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t always on our side, and we had a day of heavy rain, which made the trail very slippery and required us to be careful. It’s a real treat when, on the last day, you can already see Florence in the distance and walk into this beautiful city a few hours later. Thank you so much for your quick and friendly responses to all our questions.
We enjoyed the trip. We also made some changes to our itinerary, and the email correspondence went very smoothly. We started in Mantera; the next day, our first and only hike was a really beautiful one. The taxi picked us up right on time. Unfortunately, the second day’s route was almost the same when we cycled to Ostuni. The bikes were well-maintained, including panniers and helmets (these were simply included). You could even bring your own water bottle!!! We found the route very scenic and varied. There were charming little villages where we could stop for lunch or coffee. The app worked great. All the hotels ranged from good to excellent, though we didn’t think the hotel in Leuca was worthy of 4 stars. We followed your advice for the two nights we stayed there. We found Leuca a bit underwhelming for a two-day stay. We would have preferred to stay in Gallipoli or Lecce for two days. We took this trip in April and were very lucky with the weather. It’s still a quiet time of year, but we didn’t mind that. We definitely recommend it!!!
Thanks to a great tip from Nature Travel Lab, we had a wonderful week in Italy. Fattoria di Maiano, just outside Florence, was a beautiful and peaceful place. And the suggested road trips were a great guide for exploring the region. We’ll definitely check here for tips for our next vacation, too. Highly recommended!
We spent a divine week in Italy: we walked the Path of the Gods, from Bologna to Florence—about 135 km spread over 6 days of hiking. Challenging distances and climbs, amazing views, nature, and a warm welcome every time we arrived at the agriturismo or albergo/hotel. All of this was perfectly organized by the Italian company Slow Active Tours, entirely in line with Nature Travel Lab’s itinerary proposal: upon arrival in Bologna, an information packet was waiting for us, complete with a hiking map, a booklet, and passports for the stamps. And the hiking app was very practical for along the way! Our luggage was transported every day and was always waiting for us when we arrived at the next location. Communication was smooth and clear. In short, highly recommended, well worth it, and well-organized.
In September, I walked the Cammino Materano. Communicating with Madelon about the booking was a pleasure. To be honest, I was quite nervous because it was my first time doing a multi-day hike—alone and in a region I wasn’t familiar with—but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The hike to Matera was beautiful, and I was able to complete it without any trouble thanks to the clear on-site signage and the routing and advice provided by the GPS app. The rest of the organization was top-notch as well. My luggage always arrived on time at the right destination, and the hotels and B&Bs were of high quality. In addition, the organizers were easy to reach via WhatsApp if I had any questions. Highly recommended!
Slovenia was absolutely amazing. A beautiful country, friendly people, lovely hiking trails, and truly top-notch hotels. The staff at the local organization were also very easy to reach and helpful. The hiking was manageable. As Dutch people, we’re not used to high altitudes, of course, so it was pretty tough at times. But it was also a lot of fun.
We had a wonderful trip. Everything was well organized. Due to an unfortunate fall, I ended up traveling with my luggage for a day, but that was handled well, too. We really liked all the accommodations. Only the Hotel Hebe in St. Piero a Sieve was a little less impressive, but it was still okay.
Looks fantastic! I'm definitely going to book a trip with this company... they're committed to sustainability and personalized advice. Definitely worth it.
Madelon and her team are true experts. Thanks to their years of experience and passion for travel, they manage to surprise us time and time again.
Beautiful hikes, the most picturesque spots—it’s a real treat.
I highly recommend them!
Nature Travel Lab provided us with very helpful and honest assistance!
If you’re looking for travel itineraries, the most beautiful hikes, and destinations, you can find it all here. You’ll find endless inspiration for your next trip. Beautiful cities are interspersed with nature. You’ll find everything you need to know about practical matters. Plus, there are plenty of tips for sustainable travel. That way, you’ll get the most out of your trip.
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