Dear TodN walkers,

This year Tocht om de Noord has reached its maximum participants. Unfortunately it is not possible anymore to subscribe for TodN 2013!

Dear TodN explorers,

This year, the Tocht om de Noord walking festival (TodN; Northern Walking Trail) will return to the Hoogeland region as we walk Groningen "van Drenthe tot aan ' t Wad" in the spirit of the second line of the provincial anthem of Groningen.

This year's Tocht om de Noord walking festival is centered around the sense of 'feeling'. Therefore, the central theme will be:

"Discover the tracks from the past of OG"

This theme was chosen with a specific purpose, as there is a lot to experience in Groningen, which makes this a great occasion to visit the Northern part of the Netherlands and discover Groningen on foot. The TodN will let you explore 26 villages and takes you to some extraordinary buildings. Together these elements will make up a truly remarkable exploration of the North.

Tocht om de Noord is not just a walking festival, as you will see and experience Groningen in a much broader sense. For example, you will be introduced to the fine arts, music and theater of Groningen.All of this you will experience in the villages that you will be walking through.

                               Tocht om de Noord 2013
"It is truly a feast for the senses, so you don't want to miss out on this."

Registration
Registration will start on March 1, 2013 and the number of participants is limited to a maximum of 4,500.
Objective of the Tocht om de Noord walking festival
Tocht om de Noord is a walking festival, a cultural exploration especially designed for walking enthusiasts. The setting is formed by typical Groninger landscapes, buildings, music, theater and surprising passages, complemented by special regional products.

As usual, the Tocht om de Noord will take place during the last weekend in September, i.e. September 28 and 29 this year.
You can participate in events with several distances, ranging from 13 kilometers to 40 kilometers. The entire route is 80 kilometers over 2 days. The maximum number of participants for 2013 has been set to 4,500. Registration will start on March 1, 2013.

For more information about routes and distances, you can read Route and Distances.
 
Tocht om de Noord will open doors
The walking festival is organized in close cooperation with the province of Groningen, Groninger municipalities and over 20 waypoints (also see Route). The route will lead through houses, museums, country estates, churches, farms and mills, but also along horse trails, lake paths, church trails, gardens, dikes and fields.

This year, aside from the cultural route, the emphasis is mainly placed on discovering the (true) Face of Groningen. You will discover the distinct nature, specific characteristics and landmarks of the Groninger landscape, as well as pretty villages and remarkable Groninger architecture. If you want to revisit the previous Tocht om de Noord, please click Promo TodN 2012.

Barentsz and Van Heemskerck
The name of the event,'Tocht om de Noord', is derived from the voyages by Dutch explorers Barentsz and Van Heemskerck 400 years ago. They undertook three voyages in search of the Northeast Passage to the Far East (nowadays known as the Northern Sea Route).

An innovative event
In 2008, the Tocht om de Noord walking festival was twice voted one of the most innovative events in the Netherlands!

Pronkjewail and keepsake
Participants completing the entire two-day, 80 kilometer route will receive a very special and unique 'Pronkjewail' at the end of the Tocht om de Noord. Naturally, all participants completing a part of the Tocht om de Noord will receive a very nice keepsake.