Cycling along the Vecht and the Lakes area

Cycling along the Vecht is like a journey through history. You cycle past medieval castles, fortifications, tea houses and country houses of rich merchants from the 17th century. The Vecht, now an atmospheric river without any significance for commercial shipping, was the most important link between the Hinterland and the Zuiderzee in the Middle Ages. We pass Slot Zuylen, among other things. The medieval castle was converted into a country house in the 18th century. The most famous resident was the writer Belle van Zuylen. Slot Zuylen has been open as a museum for 60 years. Concerts, events and guided tours bring the past to life. The second part of the route goes along the busy Loosdrechtse Plassen and smaller Maarseveenseplassen. A beautiful route along the water with enough places to stop to enjoy everything that passes you by. There are numerous 'country estates' along the Vecht. Rich people fled the urban worries in the Golden Age and sought refuge on the banks of the Vecht. This is how we pass the Ottersporen estate. Otterspoor was built in 1643 as a simple farmstead and was located on the eastern bank of the Vecht, north of Maarssen-Dorp. An engraving (print of an image made on a metal plate) made between 1650 and 1654, on which many houses, farmsteads and buildings of the "Heerlijcheit van Maarsseveen" located on the eastern side of the Vecht, shows the simple farmstead. The abundance of water also makes recreation very suitable. Once back in Oud-Zuylen, you continue the same route back towards Utrecht. This cycle route is offered to you by VVV Utrecht. For more information about the region, go to www.bezoek-utrecht.nl.