Boswachterij Anloo and Gastersche Holt Loop

This easy, mostly level loop of about 10 km (6.2 mi) with roughly 0 m (0 ft) of climbing is a classic Drenthe walk: quiet village lanes, sandy forest tracks, and open heath/field edges in the Boswachterij Anloo area, with a strong chance of passing prehistoric sites tucked into the woods. Underfoot is typically firm sand or packed forest path, so it’s a good choice when you want a low-effort day that still feels varied and “wild.”

Getting to the start (car + public transport)

A practical, well-known place to begin is by the Magnuskerk (Sint-Magnuskerk) on the village green in Anloo at Kerkbrink 1, 9467 PH Anloo, Netherlands. (pknanloozuidlaren.nl)
- By car: Aim for the church square (Kerkbrink) in Anloo; parking is typically along village streets/near the brink. Arrive early on weekends for easiest parking. - By public transport: Anloo has bus connections to Assen (the nearest major rail station). From Assen, you can continue by bus into Anloo and walk a short distance to the church area. (en.wikipedia.org)
- A useful nearby stop to know is “Anloo, Bosweg” on Annerweg, 9467 PB Anloo (a short walk from the village center). (busmaps.com)
For planning exact departure times and any service changes, check routes and live times in HiiKER before you travel.

From the church, you’re immediately in the heart of old Anloo—an ideal “soft start” before the landscape opens into forest and heath.

What you’ll see and how the route unfolds

0.0–2.0 km (0.0–1.2 mi): Village edge to forest entrance
Leaving the brink, the route quickly trades houses and hedges for wider views over farmland and the first bands of woodland. Expect a mix of paved village lanes and sandy paths. Because the elevation is minimal, the main “effort” comes from surface conditions: after rain, sandy sections can feel a bit slower, and shaded forest can hold puddles longer than open ground.

2.0–6.5 km (1.2–4.0 mi): Strubben–Kniphorstbos—prehistoric Drenthe under the trees
This middle section is the signature of the loop: the Strubben–Kniphorstbos area between Anloo and Schipborg, a 377-hectare reserve that’s nationally notable as the only archaeological reserve in the Netherlands. (en.wikipedia.org)
Here, the forest isn’t just “nature”—it’s a layered cultural landscape. You’ll be walking among: - Hunebedden (dolmens)—megalithic tombs associated with the Funnelbeaker culture. Two of them, D7 and D8, lie within the reserve. (en.wikipedia.org)
- Burial mounds—the reserve contains dozens (often described as around sixty) of ancient barrows, sometimes subtle as low rises, sometimes more distinct where management has reopened sightlines. (en.wikipedia.org)

The paths here can be a web of intersecting tracks. If you’re not following waymarks, keep HiiKER handy—this is exactly the kind of terrain where it’s easy to take a “nice-looking” side track and add unintended distance.

6.5–10.0 km (4.0–6.2 mi): Open edges, quiet lanes, and back to Anloo
As you arc back toward the village, the scenery typically alternates between forest edge and more open agricultural land. In clear weather, this part feels airy after the enclosed woods. You’ll likely finish where you started, back at the church brink—worth a slow look if it’s open, because the building itself is one of the region’s major historic landmarks.

Landmarks and historical context to watch for

• Magnuskerk / Sint-Magnuskerk (Anloo): A Romanesque church built around 1100, with a tower dating to the 12th century and later additions (including a 14th-century choir). It’s historically tied to regional governance and justice—sessions of the Etstoel (Drenthe