Jacobspad Groningen

At a Glance

• Start / Finish: Uithuizen (Groningen) → Hasselt (Overijssel)
• Length: approx. 206 km
• Elevation gain: approx. 230 m of ascent (GPS track of the route) — just over one metre per kilometre: it doesn’t get flatter
• Stages: 12 daily stages according to the standard classification (10–27 km)
• Duration: 9–12 days
• Regions: Netherlands — Provinces of Groningen, Drenthe, and Overijssel
• Terrain: completely flat—only the Hondsrug in Drenthe is a real ridge
• Waymarking: Scallop shell on small signs and stickers — since January 1, 2025, only from north to south
• Origin: built up by the Stichting Jacobspad Groningen Drenthe
• Connection: from Hasselt eastward to the Jakobsweg Nijmegen–Maastricht or westward via Breda to the Via Brabantica

Overview

The Jacobspad Groningen is the northernmost Way of St. James in the Netherlands: a good 206 kilometers from Uithuizen, twelve kilometers from the Wadden Sea, through three provinces, all the way to the small Hanseatic city Hasselt on the Zwarte Water. The organizer summed up the route’s design principle in a single sentence—the path “gaat zo veel mogelijk van kerk naar kerk,” from church to church, reconstructed along old church routes. This is to be taken literally: Four churches along the route are dedicated to St. James, and four of the six stamp stations are St. James churches—the other two are a village café and a tourist information center. A pilgrimage route could not be more authentically depicted.

The trail was opened on May 17, 2008 by Cardinal Simonis; since January 1, 2025, it has been under the care of the Nederlands Genootschap van Sint Jacob—and since then, there has been a peculiarity you need to know about: It is now marked only from north to south. If you walk in the opposite direction, you won’t find any more scallop shells past Hasselt, just the guide. The surrounding landscape: Groningen clay with wierde villages and freestanding bell towers—one pilgrim dubbed the high fields behind Uithuizen the “Groningen Meseta”—then Drenthe’s heathland, junipers, and es villages across the Hondsrug, and finally the IJssel Delta. Flat, vast, quiet. If you're counting elevation gain, this isn't the place for you; if you're counting towers, you'll be in your element.

1219: The Beer Mug, 1590: The Demolition, 1892: The Repurchase

At the end of this journey lies a pilgrimage with a sensational founding myth: in 1219, it is said, a drunken Frisian warrior struck a priest in the hand with a beer mug, knocking the ciborium out of his grasp; the consecrated hosts fell into the dirt—and as an act of penance, the “Heilige Stede” came into being in Hasselt, for centuries the destination of processions with its own indulgence. However, historian Jaap van Moolenbroek has demonstrated that this account—which originates from Caesarius of Heisterbach—does not refer to Hasselt at all, but rather to territory under the Diocese of Münster: the Groningen region. A chaplain claimed it for Hasselt in the 19th century; a pastor needed a suitable history for his diaspora congregation. The legend belongs to Hasselt, the scene of the event lies in Groningen—and this path connects the two. Anyone walking the Jacobspad follows the legend from its presumed setting to its adopted home.

The rest of the chain of documents is also delightfully irreverently honest: The oldest letter of indulgence from 1328 is now considered a forgery; the first reliable evidence is the document issued by Bishop Jan van Arkel in the year 1355. Around 1576, the pilgrimages were banned; in 1590, the chapel was torn down, and the site became a dump. And then the revival in slow motion: in 1891, Pastor van Groeningen bought the property back; in 1892, the pilgrimage was reinstated; in 1898, Pope Leo XIII renewed the indulgence—and in the meantime, Catholic seasonal workers from Germany kept the tradition alive. A place of pilgrimage that has survived forgery, prohibition, and being turned into a garbage dump is, in the end, more credible than any flawless chronicle.

And on the way? In Rolde lies the site along the route with the richest historical layers: the Gothic Jacobuskerk, built between 1400 and 1427, featuring tombstones carved with scallop shells — until 1791, the Etstoel, the highest court in the province of Drenthe, sat here —and directly behind the churchyard stand the hunebeds D17 and D18, megalithic tombs dating from around 3400–3200 B.C. On a single plot of land: five thousand years of burial, prayer, and judgment. In Groningen, in 1405, Berneer Solleder and his son Albert endowed an inn specifically for pilgrims. However, to this day, there is no record of any medieval pilgrim to Santiago from Groningen or Drenthe—whoever passed through here left no written account. But we do know who opened the door for them.

Other Names

In Dutch, the name of the path is simply het Jacobspad — and because that's pretty vague, almost every source adds something to it: Jacobspad Groningen-Drenthe after the two main provinces, Jacobspad Uithuizen–Hasselt after the endpoints, in the route overview of the organization behind the route Het Jacobspad Groningen; in German, you'll find it as Jakobsweg Groningen. There are three possible mix-ups worth knowing about: The Jabikspaad is its Frisian counterpart—it starts in Sint Jacobiparochie, features a blue square with a yellow seashell, and also ends in Hasselt. The Jacobspad Limburg is located 250 kilometers further south—here, it runs as Jakobsweg Nijmegen–Maastricht. And Hasselt here is not the Belgian city in Limburg, but the small Hanseatic town in Overijssel, twelve kilometers from Zwolle—a mistake that has already cost many a train ticket. Your route also forms the northern half of a longer axis that continues to Antwerp as the Jacobsweg Amsvorde.

Who It's Ideal For—and Who It's Not So Ideal For

Ideal if you like long distances and don’t need much elevation gain: 206 kilometers between the Wadden Sea and the IJssel Delta, following old church paths—you literally walk from tower to tower. It’s also ideal for beginners and stage pilgrims: the daily distances range from 10 to 27 kilometers; Uithuizen, Loppersum, Groningen, and Beilen all have train stations; and you can tackle the route over the course of several years in weekend segments without ever running into any logistical problems.

To be honest, though, this isn’t for you if you’re looking for mountains, panoramic views, or Spanish hostel culture. There’s no network of pilgrim hostels—you book a B&B, a hotel, or a place to stay through “Vrienden op de Fiets,” and you have to book in advance. The churches aren’t staffed around the clock; one pilgrim’s account mentions a stamp that wasn’t available because the priest was sick. You need to plan around such gaps in advance, not while you’re on the road. And if you like to go against the flow, you should know: As of January 1, 2025, the route is marked only from north to south—north of Hasselt, there’s no longer a scallop shell symbol; only the guidebook.

Route & Landscape

You'll start in Uithuizen at the Catholic Jacobus de Meerdere Church—incidentally, a few streets away stands a second St. James Church, the patronage of which has been disputed since 1664. What follows is Groningen clay in its purest form: high-lying fields, wierde villages on artificial hills, freestanding bell towers, and farms visible from three kilometers away—the “Groningen Meseta.” Via Eenum, Wirdum, and the Jacobuskerk of Zeerijp you reach Ten Boer, the official alternative start for those walking a shorter distance, then Groningen: the university, the Martinikerk, and the inn on Peperstraat, which was built in 1405 specifically for pilgrims.

South of Groningen, the soil changes from clay to sand—and with it, the entire landscape. Passing through the Peizermaden and the villages around Roderwolde, Norg, and Vries, you’ll climb up to the Hondsrug, the only real rise along the way. From Rolde on, you are in classic Drenthe: heath, juniper, es villages, the Balloërveld, then past the Dwingelderveld to Ruinen. You'll leave Drenthe via De Wijk and Punthorst, walking through the linear village Staphorst and finally walking into the IJssel Delta, until Hasselt on the Zwarte Water lies ahead of you. Three provinces, three types of terrain, one route—and not a single hill worth mentioning.

Stages, Terrain & Difficulty

According to the standard classification, you walk twelve daily stages between 10 and 27 kilometers—the organization itself does not specify stages, but describes the route continuously in both directions; one pilgrim even completed the entire route in eight days. Nothing here is particularly difficult: there are no climbs that require a break, but you’ll encounter the usual Dutch “price” in the form of patches of asphalt and clinker—good soles are more important than walking sticks. The scallop shell on signs, stickers, and route markers serves as a guide; since early 2025, it has conformed to international standards and is now only readable heading northward—that is, from north to south. Stage distances are taken from the Camino Ninja map, calibrated exactly to 206.2 km.

1. Uithuizen → Zeerijp (approx. 11.6 km) — Start at the Jacobus de Meerdere Church, through Eenum and Wirdum across the high fields of the Hogeland to the Jacobus Church in Zeerijp.
2. Zeerijp → Ten Boer (approx. 17.9 km) — Vast clay fields, wierde villages, and maren; Ten Boer is the official alternate starting point for those taking the shorter route.
3. Ten Boer → Groningen (approx. 17.5 km) — Through Thesinge and along the Damsterdiep into the university town; along the way, the Pepergasthuis, built in 1405.
4. Groningen → Roderwolde (approx. 15.2 km) — From the city to Peizermaden and Wolden, transitioning from clay to sand.
5. Roderwolde → Vries (approx. 26.8 km) — Longest stage; Lieveren, Norg, and the first foothills of the Hondsrug.
6. Vries → Rolde (approx. 16.1 km) — Across the Hondsrug to Rolde: Jacobuskerk and the hunebeds D17 and D18 right behind it.
7. Rolde → Elp (approx. 17.8 km) — Balloërveld, Loon, and Amen: heathland, juniper, and es villages—classic Drenthe.
8. Elp → Terhorst near Beilen (approx. 15.3 km) — Small es villages, wooded areas, rail connection in Beilen.
9. Terhorst → Ruinen (approx. 20.7 km) — Past the Dwingelderveld to the stamp at Café Kuik in Ruinen.
10. Ruinen → Echten (about 9.9 km) — The shortest leg, perfect for a half-day hike or as an add-on.
11. Echten → Punthorst (approx. 21.9 km) — Via De Wijk from Drenthe into Overijssel, as far as Punthorst in the municipality of Staphorst.
12. Punthorst → Hasselt (approx. 15.5 km) — Final leg through the linear village of Staphorst and the IJssel Delta to the Hanseatic city on the Zwarte Water: Heilige Stede, Stephanuskerk, stamp at the tourist information office.

You collect the trail stamps in Uithuizen, Zeerijp, Roderwolde and Rolde (all in the church), in the Café Kuik in Ruinen and at the tourist information office in Hasselt — four of the six stamp stations are St. James churches. It’s part of the experience that a church might be closed from time to time: the stations are run by volunteers.

Highlights Along the Way

• St.-Jacobus-de-Meerdere-Kerk, Uithuizen — Kilometer zero and the first stamp; a few streets away, the Protestant St. James Church, built between 1225 and 1250, with an Arp Schnitger organ from 1701 — whose dedication to St. James has been disputed since 1664: The documents mention Dionysius.
• Jacobuskerk Zeerijp — A medieval cruciform church with a freestanding bell tower, the last church in Groningen built in the Romanesque-Gothic style; open daily from April through October.
• Pepergasthuis Groningen — Founded in 1405 by Berneer Solleder and his son Albert as a pilgrims' hostel, named after Gertrud of Nivelles, the patron saint of travelers.
• Hondsrug and Balloërveld — the only real ridge along the trail and the heath that has made Drenthe famous.
• Jacobuskerk in Rolde with Hunebed D17 and D18 — a Gothic building dating from 1400–1427 with shell-shaped tomb slabs; until 1791, it served as the seat of the Etstoel, the highest court in Drenthe; directly behind the churchyard are two of the most famous megalithic tombs in the Netherlands, erected around 3400–3200 B.C.
• Dwingelderveld — one of the largest wet heathland areas in Western Europe, which the ninth stage skirts.
• Staphorst — A linear village with its famous green-and-blue facades, the last stop before the IJssel Delta.
• Hasselt — A Hanseatic city since about 1367, granted city rights around 1252: the Stephanuskerk with its 49-bell carillon and the Heilige Stede, a place of pilgrimage to which people have made the journey themselves for centuries.

How Pilgrims Find Their Way onto This Path

First, the honest answer: No other marked pilgrimage route ends in Uithuizen—the route begins twelve kilometers from the Wadden Sea, and most people arrive by train. Uithuizen is located on the Groningen–Roodeschool rail line, a good half hour from Groningen; those with less time can get off at Ten Boer, the officially designated alternative starting point. And those who prefer to break the journey into shorter segments can use the train stations in Loppersum, Groningen, and Beilen.

In the pilgrimage network, the Jacobspad is the northern half of a long route that continues as the Jacobsweg from Amsvorde through Zwolle, Amersfoort, and Breda to Antwerp. In Hasselt your path also meets the Jabikspaad from Sint Jacobiparochie in Friesland — its twin route marked with a blue square and a yellow shell. If you're traveling from Germany, take the train via Leer to Groningen.

Continue the pilgrimage?

In Hasselt, your journey doesn't end—this is where the Dutch pilgrimage network converges and immediately splits into two southern branches. To the east, the route leads through Doesburg and Nijmegen, where the Jakobsweg Nijmegen–Maastricht takes over: the Jacobspad Limburg, with the arm relic of St. James in Roermond, all the way to the tomb of St. Servatius in Maastricht—and beyond that begins the Via Mosana toward Namur. To the west, the second route runs through Zwolle, Amersfoort, Utrecht, and Breda to Antwerp; from Breda on, you’ve long been traveling on the Via Brabantica, which ends in Saint-Quentin after 363 kilometers.

From there, the network is continuous: from Saint-Quentin via the Via Campaniensis to Vézelay or via Paris to the Via Turonensis — and in the end, in Spain, the Camino Francés takes over. So the 206 kilometers from Groningen aren't just a stroll into nowhere: they are the first leg of a journey that stretches all the way to Santiago.

Preparation & Practical Information

The best time is April through October — The churches are open starting in April; in August and September, you’ll see both blooming heathland and harvest fields. Winter is also an option, but on the open clay plains between Uithuizen and Ten Boer, there’s nothing to block the wind. For navigation, take the organization’s Routegids — 4th edition, 2019, 19.95 euros (as of August 2026) — which describes the route in both directions. Since the trail marking changes in 2025, this has become more than just a convenience: there are no longer any trail markers from Hasselt heading north.

You should book accommodations in advance. There isn't a hostel network like the one in Spain; the backbone consists of B&Bs, small hotels, and places to stay at Vrienden op de Fiets — approximately 5,000 addresses, 27.50 euros per person including breakfast, annual membership fee of 7.50 euros or 10 euros for members from abroad (as of August 2026). The Pelgrimspas of the Nederlands Genootschap van Sint Jacob is reserved for members (free with registration, otherwise 3 euros); anyone planning to continue on to Santiago later should obtain their pilgrim’s passport well before reaching the border.

With the Camino Ninja App, you're on the safe side—it has the entire route on board, and you can put together your own stages and plan suitable accommodations right along with them. On a trail where the stamp stations are staffed by volunteers, having a Plan B for a place to sleep is half the preparation anyway.

What the journey will cost you

The Netherlands isn't a cheap country for pilgrims, but it holds no surprises either: expect 55 to 85 euros per day if you stay in B&Bs and small hotels and eat lunch from the supermarket (estimate as of August 2026); double rooms usually cost between 60 and 110 euros. It gets significantly cheaper via Vrienden op de Fiets: 27.50 euros per person, including breakfast, plus the small annual membership fee. The fixed costs remain manageable—the Routegids for 19.95 euros, the Pelgrimspas free for members (as of August 2026)—and train travel is inexpensive: Uithuizen–Groningen, Groningen–Beilen, and Hasselt–Zwolle are all short distances. Those who camp or stay overnight in churches can keep costs even lower.

Getting Here

To get started: Uithuizen is located on the Groningen–Roodeschool rail line, a little over half an hour from Groningen; you can reach Groningen itself by Intercity from Amsterdam in about two hours, or from Zwolle in one hour. From Germany, the route goes via Leer to Groningen (Wunderline)—check the schedule before your trip. From the Uithuizen train station, it’s just a few minutes’ walk to the Jacobus de Meerdere Church, the “kilometer zero” marker.

From the finish line: Hasselt doesn't have a train station—a regional bus will take you the twelve kilometers to Zwolle, and Zwolle is one of the major Intercity hubs in the Netherlands: Amsterdam, Groningen, Leeuwarden, and on toward Germany via Deventer and Arnhem. Those continuing their journey directly will find it easier: the connection begins in Hasselt, not in Zwolle.

• Dutch Railways: Uithuizen (start), Loppersum, Groningen, and Beilen (stopovers), Zwolle (return trip); schedules available at [ns.nl](https://www.ns.nl).
• From Germany: via Leer to Groningen (Wunderline) or via Amersfoort/Zwolle; timetables available at [bahn.de](https://www.bahn.de).
• From the finish: Regional bus Hasselt ↔ Zwolle (approx. 12 km).
• Flight: Amsterdam Schiphol, with a direct Intercity train to Groningen and Zwolle.