Fort route through the Land of Altena

A large part of the cycling tour through the Land van Altena takes you over (car-free) dikes. Seen from the dikes, the land seems flatter than flat. The 'broad rivers' that poet Marsman mentions are today the Boven-Merwede and the Afgedamde Maas. The history of the Land van Altena is one of robber knights and land grabbing between the lords of Gelre, Brabant and Holland. From the terrace of De Pannenkoekenbakker Woudrichem you can spot all kinds of water animals along the way, even adult beavers. When leaving Woudrichem you can see Loevestein Castle in the distance. During the Eighty Years' War, the Spanish occupier took the castle; later William of Orange ordered the Geuzen leader Herman de Ruyter to recapture it.