Discover Laar: Mill Route, Vechte and history
Accommodation in Laar
Laar brings together riverside landscapes, mill history and cross-border cycling. The Vechte, historic buildings and artworks along the river showcase different sides of the town. When choosing accommodation in Laar, you can first consider whether your trip will focus mainly on cycling, seasonal experiences on the water, or history and art.
Cycling the Mill Route
The Laar Mill Route is a German-Dutch cycling tour of around 40 kilometres. It starts at the mill in Laar and loops back there via Coevorden and the Laarscher Bruch nature reserve. Around Laar, bends in the Vechte and flood retention areas shape the landscape. Check the current route and conditions before setting off.
On a larger regional scale, the main route of the Grafschafter Fietsentour is about 220 kilometres long and passes through all the municipalities of the Grafschaft Bentheim. The two routes therefore differ both in length and scope: the Mill Route is a cross-border loop starting in Laar, while the main route of the Grafschafter Fietsentour crosses the entire district.
Experience the Vechte from the water
You can cross the Vechte on foot or by bike using your own muscle power on the Kurbelfähre Fähr Harm. Its operation depends on the season and weather. For a different kind of river trip, take the historic Vechtezomp de Mölle: it departs from the landing stage by the mill in Laar and travels along the Vechte and the Coevorden-Almelo Canal.
Trips on the Vechtezomp operate seasonally. If they are part of your travel plans, check current availability before your trip. This will help you fit the activities into your stay: on the ferry, pedestrians and cyclists move the boat themselves, while the Vechtezomp offers trips on the river and canal.
Mill history, church and art
The tower windmill in Laar was built in 1806/07 and completely rebuilt and restored in 1981. The Reformed Church also brings together several eras: it was built in 1863; its bells date from the 15th and 16th centuries, and its wood-carved pulpit from the 17th century.
Two works of art in the riverside landscape each have their own connection to Laar. Wortlos by Ilya and Emilia Kabakov lies about one kilometre downstream from the mill in Laar, where the Vechte crosses into the Netherlands. The Laar Mill Route also passes Chain Reaction by Bonnie Collura on the opposite bank of the Vechte. Together with the mill and the church, these offer a range of ways to shape a stay that is not focused solely on cycling.
Motorhome pitch and regional setting
Next to the old mill, there is a motorhome pitch with electricity hook-ups and fresh- and wastewater facilities. As facilities may change, check the details before your arrival.
Beyond Laar, the Grafschaft Bentheim offers a broader landscape and cultural setting. In the Grafschaft Bentheim, heathland, raised and lowland bogs, wooded ridges and the Vechte valley alternate. Kunstwegen is also part of this regional context: this open-air museum of contemporary art, nature and history stretches for more than 180 kilometres through the Vechte valley, with more than 80 sculpture projects along the route.
Discover more destinations: Wilsum, Nordhorn, SchĂĽttorf, Getelo, Lage, Wietmarschen, Engden, Georgsdorf.
To the main travel overview: Grafschaft Bentheim.
