Bergen, Egmond aan de Hoef and Alkmaar

Explore the cozy narrow streets, beautiful courtyards and beautiful canals of Alkmaar, and learn everything about what distinguishes the city: cheese! Explore the"Cheese City\\\" with its historic center, which has no less than 700 municipal and 339 national monuments. Visit the cheese market and cheese museum or explore the nature outside the city. For example, there is a beautiful old park forest near Bergen. In 1662, the forest was part of a country estate of a wealthy family and hidden between the trees are many small pools and romantic lakes. The tranquility of the area attracts birds, which water and wash themselves in the shallow pools. They can also enjoy a feast here, because the water attracts larvae and insects, which they can feast on extensively. You can park your car for free at Profile Der Children in Bergen. Before you start the cycle route, you can have your bike checked here. Defects are quickly resolved and so you can go on the road safely and carefree. Don't forget to show your bicycle discount pass, which gives you a 10.00 euro discount on a service for your bicycle. The first point of interest during the bike ride is the Varnebroeker mill, a seesaw water mill that had a predecessor who drained the Maalwater polder. The mill is characteristically located in a meadow and therefore has a great landscape value. In the first six months of 2013, the mill will be restored, so that the mill can once again function in the water management of the Baafjespolder. The next point of interest on the route is the Molen van Piet, also known as De Groot mill. It is an octagonal tower mill that grinds corn. The mill was once built as a quay mill and has dominated the cityscape ever since. In 1884 the mill was bought by Cornelis Piet, who had a house built at the bottom of the mill. As a result, the mill was popularly known as the Molen van Piet and the original name was hardly used anymore. Within the city limits of Alkmaar is also the ground sailor the Geestmolen, which was built in 1556. The octagonal inner porter drained the 170-hectare Geestmolenpolder. Eventually, a whole new housing estate arose around the mill, so that it no longer catches the wind. It is remarkable that the Geestmolen has its own box bed, but that has never been inhabited. On the outskirts of Alkmaar you will come across the remains of the Robonsbos windmill. The predecessor of this mill was built around 1541 as a seesaw mill that was powered by the wind. This mill has now disappeared, and was also in a different place. The current mill was probably built around 1781 and is the only mill in the Netherlands with a wooden reel cross. In this construction, four half rods are clamped around a solid wooden shaft. The mill cannot be visited from the inside, because it serves as a residence. You cycle through an area with flower bulb fields. Via the sea of colors you come back to the area of Bergen, where there is another mill: the Damlander. This mill was probably built at the end of the seventeenth or the beginning of the eighteenth century. The mill is a recreational home and has fallen out of operation due to decay. In mid-2012, the mill was sold to a new owner, who is striving for restoration.