Hardenberg

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Hardenberg
<map lat='52.5671' lng='6.623' zoom='13' width='350' height='250' view='3'/>
Information
Country:
Flag of Netherlands
Netherlands
Province:
Flag Overijssel.png
Overijssel
Population: 17,950 (01 Jan 2009)
Major roads: none
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Hardenberg is a city in the east of the Netherlands, roughly halfway between Almelo and Emmen. All of the major roads here seem to have no hard shoulders, and subsequently, hitching out is sketchy at best... Luckily, this isn't the case for the direction Zwolle/Ommen/Almelo.

Hitchhiking out

South towards Almelo and Tubbergen / Oldenzaal

Go down to the roundabout at the N343 (Twenteweg) and try there. There is no hard shoulder for vehicles to pull over, actually, the entire N343 up here is very hitchhiker-unfriendly as a matter of fact, but at least here you get all the traffic out of town, and it's going slow enough to be able to stop. Another possibility is to catch bus 80 down to Kloosterhaar, 10 kilometres south of Hardenberg, where the road to Tubbergen / Oldenzaal and Almelo split. At least the N343 down to Oldenzaal has better shoulders here, and most traffic goes at least to Tubbergen.

North towards Coevorden and Emmen

Walk down the Haardijk to the ramp of the N34. Again, no hard shoulder, but you're very visible and most traffic will go at least up to Coevorden. You can also walk along the shoulder to a parking place about a kilometre down if you wish to catch all traffic on the road, but I would advise against it, because the parking place is small, and the traffic goes by fast. It will not necessarily lead to better pick-up times.

West towards Zwolle and Ommen / South towards Almelo

Follow the Haardijk past the on-ramp in the direction of Emmen and the viaduct over the N34. Take the first left at the traffic lights and cross the road once on the Koningsspil. You'll find yourself at an amazing hitchhiking spot: very long emergency/parking lane, long enough for trucks to stop, right on the road heading to the on-ramp. (Almost) all drivers heading from Hardenberg to Ommen / Zwolle will be able to see you and will have enough time to decide whether they want to pick you up. Note: this spot should also work for Almelo, but some (most?) drivers take the N343 and only get on the N36 at Mariënberg. Since the reconstruction of the N34, it makes very little sense to accept a ride to De Witte Paal (the roundabout connecting the N34 and the N36), because of an absolute lack of suitable hitchhiking spots between Hardenberg and the intersection. Try to avoid taking any rides not getting on the N36 if heading to the south.