← Groningen Marathon·1 night

Assen: A Bog Body and a Motorcycle Circuit After Groningen

A short train south to a small provincial capital with a museum that holds a 2,000-year-old bog body and a flat walk through Drenthe woods.

Duration1 night
TransitNS train from Groningen to Assen, about 20 to 25 minutes
DepartsGroningen station

After the Groningen Marathon: Assen

The Route: Groningen → Assen → Schiphol Airport Logistics: NS train, about 20 to 25 minutes. Assen station is about 15 minutes' walk from the centre, or a short bus. Marathon Month: April Duration: 1 night

Groningen ──(20-25 min, NS)──> Assen
                                  │
Schiphol Airport (AMS) <──(about 1h50, via Zwolle)──┘

A teenage girl lies in a glass case in Assen, her hair still dyed red by the peat that kept her for 2,000 years. She is the Yde Girl, found by peat cutters in 1897 in the Drenthe bog and now in the Drents Museum. She is the reason to come to Assen, and she is a quieter way to spend the afternoon after a marathon than anything in Amsterdam.

Assen is the capital of Drenthe, a province of heath, peat and the Netherlands' densest cluster of megalithic tombs. The town itself is small and calm. There is no need to book trains in advance. Pay by contactless card or OVpay and check the NS planner for connections.

April in Assen: highs are around 12°C, with showers and a cool wind. Drenthe's woods are starting to leaf, so paths are dry in places and muddy in others. Check museum opening days, because Monday closures are common.

Night One: Assen

The Drents Museum, in a complex of old buildings with a modern wing, holds the Yde Girl alongside archaeological collections from the region. Entry is around €15 and prices vary, so use the figure as a guide only. The museum has lifts and seating, and you can cover the highlights in about 90 minutes. Check the current opening days at the museum's website.

The centre is level and mostly pedestrian, with a market square and the Brink, a green with cafés. A loop of about 2 kilometres covers it.

For a gentle walk, the Asser Bos woodland on the edge of the town has flat, sandy paths and benches. Walk it at an easy pace, and expect mud after rain.

Assen is also the home of the TT Circuit, which hosts a motorcycle Grand Prix in summer. In April it is quiet, and a visit is not a priority unless you are a fan.

Hotel choices are limited and sensible: Van der Valk Hotel Assen is a large hotel with parking and a restaurant, and the centre has a handful of smaller hotels and guesthouses. Confirm lifts and breakfast times when booking.

For dinner, the cafés and restaurants around the Brink and Marktstraat serve Dutch menus, with stew, fish and local beef. Book ahead on weekends.

Arrive on Sunday evening after the race, or on Monday morning. Leave luggage at the hotel on arrival.

Getting to Schiphol Airport (AMS)

Assen to Schiphol takes about 1 hour 50 minutes by train, usually with a change at Zwolle or Amersfoort. Check the NS planner. Airport station is beneath Schiphol Plaza, with lifts to the terminal.