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Flêche, The Lethe
Groningen
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Battery Road, area De Lethe. Here you can park your car for a while (not on private property), for a short walk to the extraordinary defences. Turn left to De Flêche and right to the Redoûte.

You are now a stone's throw from Germany. In the 18th century, this was an important spot, being the tri-border point of the Diocese of Münster, the Prussian province of Ost-Friesland and the Republic of the United Netherlands. You will find two restored defences from the Eighty Years' War: the Flêche and Redoûte. A footpath makes it easy to get to De Flêche defence works and sample the atmosphere (= about 350 metres to the left). If you step off the footpath to the right, you stand with one leg in Germany! From about 1933 until WW2, many Germans (anti-fascists, communists, Jews) fled to the Netherlands via this spot. They were helped by Groningen fishermen, farmers, communists.

It is now a particularly rich nature reserve, with flowery grasslands where the great meadow butterfly flutters again. For birdwatchers, it is a paradise with over 40 species of songbirds. Long-eared owls have their nests in the alders. In summer, you can hear the Golden Oriole, Mockingbird and Yellowhammer singing here.

Continue the route on Kanaaldijk, still unpaved.

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