Georgsdorf: Mill, Moor and Buckwheat

Historic buildings and exhibitions sit alongside a nature reserve, regional cuisine and a game to play.

Windmill and local history

The Georgsdorf windmill is a gallery smock mill dating from 1875. Built of brick, it has a thatched roof. Twelve Georgsdorf farmers joined forces to build the mill, at a cost of around 6,500 talers. Its design, materials and shared origins offer several ways to take a closer look at the mill.

The mill complex also includes a half-timbered barn, which serves as an exhibition space for historic tools and machinery. The miller’s house, built in 1904, features a photo exhibition on shipping along the Emsland canals on the left bank. The barn and miller’s house broaden the focus beyond the windmill to include working equipment and canal history. Outside regular opening hours, visits to the windmill are possible by telephone appointment.

Moorland and older buildings

The Georgsdorfer Moor nature reserve is a remnant of the former Bourtanger Moor. Conservation efforts aim to preserve or restore open moorland, wet heathland, small bodies of water, moorland lakes, scrub and moorland forests. This makes it possible to consider both the former raised-bog landscape and the aims of conservation as distinct aspects of the moorland area.

The Old Parsonage was built in 1866 and is the oldest building in Georgsdorf. It adds another tangible point of reference for local history alongside the windmill.

Landscape in the wider Grafschaft Bentheim destination

The Grafschaft Bentheim landscape alternates between heathland, raised and low moors, wooded ridges and the Vechte river valley. This regional landscape broadens the view beyond Georgsdorf’s individual moorland area and places the local connection with nature in a wider context.

Buckwheat and regional cuisine

Buckwheat flour is sold at the mill on Saturdays during opening hours; it is also available at the adjacent Grenzlandmarkt during its business hours. Bookweiten-Jan Hinnerk is a traditional buckwheat dish that can be served in the miller’s house with traditional accompaniments by prior arrangement. Original buckwheat pancakes are considered a regional speciality.

The arrangements differ, so keep them in mind when planning: flour is sold at the mill on Saturdays during opening hours, while the Grenzlandmarkt is open during its business hours. Bookweiten-Jan Hinnerk must be ordered in advance. This distinguishes buying flour from having the dish prepared by prior arrangement.

Farmer’s golf at TSV Georgsdorf

Farmer’s golf at TSV Georgsdorf can be played regardless of age or athletic ability. The game uses a large plastic ball and a thick wooden club, and the course has ten holes. These details describe how the game is played, while participation is explicitly not limited by age or athletic level.

Package deals can be arranged on request for groups of twelve or more. When planning a group game, bear in mind the minimum group size and the requirement to enquire about these offers.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Lage, Engden, Laar, Wielen, Getelo, Wietmarschen, Neuenhaus, Itterbeck

Go to the main travel overview: Grafschaft Bentheim.