Rottemeren route

This route leads around beautiful recreation and nature reserves: the Lage and Hoge Bergsche Bos, the Rottemeren, and the Eendragtspolder. The Lage Bergsche Bos is a wooded recreation area of 216 hectares, created in 1970. Water and land alternate in the area, and Scottish Highland cattle graze in part of the forest. A recreation area of over 900 hectares has been created around the Rottemeren, a system of widenings of the Rotte River. The Rottemeren were created after the surrounding polders were drained, and the river and its tributaries are considerably higher than the polders due to peat extraction and subsidence. The Eendragtspolder was created on a site that has traditionally been agricultural land. Part of it was created to prevent flooding, but also for recreation and (professional) sports. Near the starting point stands the Eendrachtsmolen, the only mill that has survived the entire history of Eendragtspolder. This ground-sailer was built in 1727 as the upper mill of a mill run that no longer exists. Although the mill is still in excellent condition, it hardly ever grinds. Further along one of the extensions of the Rotte River stands the Bleiswijkse Droogmakerij A-1 mill (hull/remains). This mill was partially demolished, probably in 1915 or 1922. When it was still in good condition, this mill had an inclined paddle wheel; the watercourses and other masonry from this are still recognizable. On the other side of the bank of that same extension stand more mills, including Tweemanspolder No. 3 and Tweemanspolder No. 4. Number 3 was built in 1792, while number 4 is even 70 years older. In 1953, the entire mill run was decommissioned, but extensive restorations were carried out in the summer of 2009. The four-wheel mill run currently operates twice a month on Saturdays. You continue your journey past Zevenhuizen and around the Eendragtspolder, until you reach the windmill called "Vier winden" (Four Winds) near Terbregseplein. Built in 1776, the windmill ground grain until 1964. Although it's no longer in operation, it's still in excellent condition and operational. At the bottom of the windmill is a small shop selling flour products, and the mill is usually still running when the shop is open. Cycling deeper into Rotterdam, you'll also see the Bergkapel (Berg Chapel) on your route. A church service for a liberal Protestant community is still held here every Sunday morning. Continue cycling north, leaving the bustle of the city behind.