Beautiful Zwolle - Cycling around the Hanseatic cities

Starting point

The cycle tour starts at Het Engels Werk at cycle junction 16. You cycle past the Katerveerslokken, a national monument. The Willemsvaart once flowed here into the IJssel. The Willemsvaart was dug in the early nineteenth century to connect the Zwolle city canal with the river. The largest lock and the drawbridges were built in 1873. The smaller lock is about 55 years older. We cycle further through the hamlet of Spoolde. Spoolde used to belong to the municipality of Zwollekerspel. Nowadays it is a district of Zwolle.

On the way to the Vreugderijkerwaard we pass the Spooldersluis. The lock forms the water connection between the Zwarte Water and the IJssel. The canal on the right is called the Zwolle-IJsselkanaal. The Vreugdrijkerwaard is a beautiful river landscape full of special plants and birds. While you enjoy the vast landscape, the church tower of the village of Zalk looms on the other side of the river.

Zalkerveer

At 's-Heerenbroek we see the Zalkerveer on the IJssel. The ferry sails in the most dangerous bend of the IJssel. The river makes a bend of more than ninety degrees here. The Zalkerveer and its associated tea house are part of a project by the Philadelphia Foundation. People with an intellectual disability keep things going and serve a cup of coffee or tea on the terrace.

Wilsum

Wilsum received city rights around 1320, but has always retained its village character. The Sint Lambertus Church is one of the oldest churches in Overijssel. The church was built around 1050. Just outside Wilsum is the Scherenwelle, a Natura 2000 area. The black tern and the corncrake, among others, nest here. Both are endangered bird species. The rare and protected fritillary flower also grows here in the wild.

The Molenbrug near Kampen can be seen in the distance. The cable-stayed bridge was opened in 1983. The bridge is the most important transport connection between Zwolle and Kampen.

Sturgeon

In the IJssel near Kampen we see a sturgeon with a bell around its neck. Long ago the bishop was supposed to visit Kampen. The local fishermen were assigned to catch a sturgeon for a festive meal. They caught a huge sturgeon, but the bishop had to postpone his visit to the Hanseatic city due to illness. The people of Kampen hung a huge bell around the sturgeon's neck and threw it back into the IJssel. The idea was that they could easily find the big fish and catch it again for the bishop. The sturgeon was never found again and the bishop was given eggs to eat in Kampen.

Reevediep

The Reevediep is a new water connection between the IJssel and the Drontermeer. This high-water channel is intended to drain high water from the IJssel via the Drontermeer to the IJsselmeer in extreme circumstances.

Will

The village of Zalk is located opposite Wilsum. Zalk became nationally known thanks to the herb lady Klazien uut Zalk. The De Valk flour mill from 1860 and the Sint Nicolaas Church from 1220 are the most important monuments in the village.