Polder het Gooi near Naarden

The landscape of Het Gooi is unique and varied. It consists of deciduous and coniferous forests, mixed forests, heathland, grassland and unique remains of narrows and commons. The Utrechtse Heuvelrug runs gently undulating like a sand ridge through the area, while meadows flank the east and west sides. It is a sandy, but wooded region with many transitions between higher and lower areas, resulting in a great diversity of vegetation and animal species. Construction is advancing and natural places such as the Naardermeer and the Goois Natuurreservaat are protected by the government.'t Gooi is a popular region where part of the New Dutch Waterline runs through and many beautiful villas are being built. These are spread over six places, none of which have a real centre, but together they form a kind of park city. You leave from Attent SidB Sherpa Naarden, where you can park your car. Buy something to nibble on or drink for the road at the supermarket, because it is wonderful to take a break in nature at one of the forts on the program. There is nothing better than sinking your teeth into a thirst-quenching apple or recharging your batteries with a cheese sandwich. You will soon arrive at Fort Ronduit, which consists of a guardhouse and a bomb-proof barracks that are connected by a crane bridge and that is surrounded by a wet moat. This national monument was built between 1873 and 1875 on the remains of a fort that stood here before. It is part of the New Dutch Waterline and at this strategic location it defended the land outside the dike that stretched north of the fortress of Naarden. You will arrive at Muiderberg, where the Naardermeer was formed naturally. The water was already mentioned around the year 900 and several attempts have been made to drain the lake, but without success. In 1672, all the mills and houses in and around the lake had to be demolished, after which the dikes were broken. The water remained until the beginning of the nineteenth century. The Meermolen/Onrust was a ground-sailer that was built in 1809 to drain the polder that had been created, but the mill was never able to rid the area of water. In 1831, a steam engine was installed with which they tried again to pump away the water. You continue your journey through the marshy landscape and see Fort Uitermeer looming on the horizon from afar. This fort is located on the river Vecht and between forests and meadows. The fortress is part of the New Dutch Waterline. The tower fort is an important eye-catcher in the area and also offers beautiful views over the Naardermeer and the many country estates in the area. The last fort that you will encounter during this bike ride is the Fort bij Hinderdam. In a bend in the river Vecht, which was in open connection with the Zuiderzee, sea locks, a turning and drainage lock and a dam were built. Initially, there were no defensive works here, but in 1629 an earthen redoubt was built, which was reinforced in 1672. A year later, a bastioned fort was built, which could control the traffic on the river and on the dikes and could support nearby forts with artillery. In 1815, the fort was incorporated into the New Dutch Waterline, but in 1913 the fortress was transferred to the Defence Line of Amsterdam. Nowadays, the fort has an ecological purpose: the island and the buildings are overgrown with trees and shrubs.