the Beukehof in Donkerbroek

De Beukehof is located in the countryside near Donkerbroek, in south east Frysland, in the north of the Netherlands.

There is a dining room with coffee and tea facilities and a workshop room at the first floor. There are two small guestrooms and a group room. Guests bring their sleeping bags.

The cooking at the Beukehof is usually vegetarian.

the people

The inhabitants of the Beukehof are Joke Stassen and his Niek Sickenga. Since 1998 the Beukehof is not their house, it is also the place where many national and international workshops and meetings have taken place.

Niek

Four main aspects make living in the Beukehof Donkerbroek special for me. The first is because my belove wife is living there as well.
The second is because we have - also in terms of space - the opportunity to make music together and with others and enjoy the space, inside and outside with the exciting garden so abundantly with so many other people. The third is because I feel very much at home this woody area of southeastern Friesland, the landscape of the sandy soils of the Stellingwerven. It is the land where my grandparents and great-grandparents - and further back - know their roots and that makes living here 'coming home'.
The silence of the country, the vastness and color richness, the winters and the history make living in this part of Friesland to a daily feast.

And offers every opportunity to refuel in different meanings to those who seek rest from the hectic west. They are welcome!

Joke

II am happy to live and work here. Important here is the inspiration of nature, and I love playing outside!
I like to share the place to share with many others, making music, in a workshop, working in the garden, or enjoying a summer evening around the fire bowl.
I play cello in the North Drents Divertimento Chamber Orchestra and as well recorder and love to play together.

The inhabitants of the Beukehof are Joke Stassen and his Niek Sickenga. Since 1998 the Beukehof is not their house, it is also the place where many national and international workshops and meetings have taken place.
Niek
Four main aspects make living in the Beukehof Donkerbroek special for me. The first is because my belove wife is living there as well.
The second is because we have - also in terms of space - the opportunity to make music together and with others and enjoy the space, inside and outside with the exciting garden so abundantly with so many other people. The third is because I feel very much at home this woody area of southeastern Friesland, the landscape of the sandy soils of the Stellingwerven. It is the land where my grandparents and great-grandparents - and further back - know their roots and that makes living here 'coming home'.
The silence of the country, the vastness and color richness, the winters and the history make living in this part of Friesland to a daily feast.

And offers every opportunity to refuel in different meanings to those who seek rest from the hectic west. They are welcome!
Joke

I am happy to live and work here. Important here is the inspiration of nature, and I love playing outside!
I like to share the place to share with many others, making music, in a workshop, working in the garden, or enjoying a summer evening around the fire bowl.
I play cello in the North Drents Divertimento Chamber Orchestra and as well recorder and love to play together.

the garden

The garden of the Beukehof is a special garden. Much of the botanical garden is wild. You will find there angelica, wild garlic, marsh orchid, horsetails, lythrum, evening primrose, violet, forget me nots, sorrel, agrimony, goldenrod, hogweed, corn cockle, wild teasels, anemones. Some of these plants are also known as weeds, and they are beautiful.
Many birds find a spot in the garden, nests of wren, robin, thrush, blackbird, wagtails and flycatchers are well hidden in the bush. Regularly we see herons in the garden, occasionally a buzzard, a sparrow hawk, an owl or a woodpecker. Sometimes a group of fieldfare lands, on their way south. Wild ducks hide their nest around the pond and the ditches, and give in spring an evening concert.
In summer the Catalpa trees with their large leaves let a soft green light pass.
Budlleia's, agrimony and wild marjoran are frequented by butterflies: peacock butterflies, the small turtoiseshell, the orange tip, the red admiral..
In the ponds brown frogs, are living, and making their snorkling noise.
Behind the garden is a - hard to reach -smal State Forest with a little lake. Here you can often spot deer.
The beech tree is estimated to be at least 150 years old. The tree stands, according to an expert, at a crossroad of ley lines.

renting the Beukehof?

Most activities at the Beukehof we organize ourselves. We are open to activities run by other people, that fit in with ours. Are you looking for an accommodation for a CCI weekend or a NVC group, please contact us.

location and route

address

Kapelweg 13
8435 TJ Donkerbroek
tel. 0031 516-492210
The Beukehof is situated west of Donkerbroek, west of the road Emmen-Drachten (N381)

public transport

The Beukehof is ca 4 minutens walking from the busstop Kapelweg. Not all bussens to Donkerbroek are stopping here. Some are only going to the village.

You can reach the Kapelweg with Qbuzz 15 from Heerenveen NS or Assen NS; it is an hourly service, see www.qbuzz.nl; get of at the stop Kapelweg. From Heerenveen: cross the road and walk back, turn right into the Kapelweg. The Beukehof, nr. 13, is the second house at your right hand side. From Assen: walk on, turn right into the Kapelweg. The Beukehof, nr. 13, is the second house at your right hand side.

by car

Coming from Drachten: turn right at the traffic lights of Donkerbroek, direction Jubbega. After 1,5 km the road turns left, here you turn right into the Kapelweg. The Beukehof, nr. 13, is the second house at your right hand side.
Coming from Emmen: turn left at the traffic lights of Donkerbroek, direction Jubbega. After 1,5 km the road turns left, here you turn right into the Kapelweg. The Beukehof, nr. 13, is the second house at your right hand side.

You can park in the shpulder in front of the house. The entrance is at the back of the house.

Google map