Polder route

You have a beautiful day ahead of you! With this route you will get to know Almere well: its nature and the various residential areas. There are four districts on the programme. First Almere City, with the oldest Stedenwijk neighborhood and then view the new construction in Poort and cycle through the still unspoilt nature where the Pampus homes will later be built. Finally, Almere Buiten is on the program, with the Oostvaardersplassen, the Kotterbos in the north and on the way back the Stripheldenbuurt, Eilandenbuurt with the outdoor exhibition Gewild Wonen and the Regenboogbuurt. This neighborhood lives up to its name: a series of colorful houses. After leaving VVV Almere at Stadhuisplein, go via Het Stadshart to't Weerwater. Here you can visit the Film District, where not only can you see the outdoor exhibition of the BouwRAI in 1992, but also many special houses. Then you go via the Stedenwjk to the Spoorbaanpad. Always keep the track on your right. After a few kilometers the bus lane must be crossed in the Music District. The Art Room is also located here. A citizens' initiative that has delivered a multifunctional space in the former station restaurant. The next attraction is the construction in Almere Poort, the fourth district of Almere. In the distance is a beautiful black building: Topsportcentrum Almere. Many national and international competitions in various sports or major events are held here. For example, the 2008 Summer Olympic team was presented here. The Top Sports Center Almere also houses the Poort Information Center, with fun presentations about the development of this part of the city. After the city and the developments, it is now nature's turn. After junction 26 you head towards beautiful nature and many lookouts. After the underpass of the A6 you can enter the forest, but also first turn left and then straight back onto the dike. This is where Poort Dok is located, the Almere beach pavilion on the Almeerderzand where various events are held in the summer. Anyone who has driven straight through the forest will now arrive at the Muiderweg. The route indicates the crossing, but it is also advisable to drive to the left along the road here. The reason is soon revealed: a beautiful nautical quarter. With Marina Muiderzand, but also restaurant Voor Pampus and Sail Today. It's time for a terrace. In the distance you can see orange windmills, which we later encounter from another side. After crossing the Muiderweg you now enter a beautiful, unexplored area: Pampushout is named after the nearby island of Pampus in the IJmeer. The forest currently consists largely of poplars, but will become increasingly varied in the coming years. Buzzards, deer, coots and tufted ducks, among others, can often be seen here. Various recreational facilities are planned in this natural forest. There are horse riding, hiking and cycling trails in the park-like surroundings. It is still Almere, but the city seems further away than ever. The landscape artwork Polderland Garden of Love and Fire is visited, a special work of art by the famous artist Daniel Liebeskind. Then an impressive trip across the Oostvaardersdijk awaits. Here you can clearly see that Almere is several meters below sea level. This also produces beautiful nature reserves, such as the Lepelaarplassen and the Noorderplassen. This nature reserve was created after the extraction of sand for the construction of Almere Stad. Now the lakes are lined with beautiful, often water-oriented homes. This is an area where birds have their habitat. These can also be viewed well from the observation hut that Flevo-Landschap has erected at the Lepelaarplassen. After this recommended stop, it is time to see the difference in height between the Randmeren and the Almere waters. This is ideally possible at the Blocq van Kuffeler pumping station. It is also nice to make a stopover at De Trekvogel, the visitor center of Flevo-Landschap. Now it is the turn of the Oostvaardersplassen, with first a ride over the dike and later along the internationally renowned nature reserve (see also Tip about the Oostvaardersplassen). When approaching De Oostvaarders Nature Experience Center (highly recommended!), three quarters of the journey is over. Take a moment to catch your breath, enjoy nature and coffee and cake. You can also take a walk to let your legs catch your breath. If you wish, you can also visit the Kotterbos. The Kotterbos borders the Oostvaardersplassen. The cycle path runs parallel to this, straight through the forest towards Lelystad. Various animals live in the Kotterbos, such as deer, foxes and hares. Occasionally the beaver also settles in the wet area with rough reed fields and willow groves. Fishermen can cast their line in peace and quiet in the nearby Lage Vaart. You can spend the night at the Staatsbosbeheer natural camping site. At the end of this tour, various neighborhoods in Buiten are visited. Outside is the only part of the city that speaks of neighborhoods, elsewhere in Almere they are called neighborhoods. The first neighborhood is the Stripheldenbuurt. The streets are named after comic book heroes, the name says it all. Popeye, Goofy; they all occur. The next'exit\\\' is Eilandenbuurt, where the outdoor exhibition Gewild Wonen can be seen with beautiful shapes and colors. Really worth stopping for a moment and cycling through the streets. It is the third experimental residential area that can be linked to the BouwRAI. These exhibitions have previously been held in the Music District and the Film District (see also Architecture Route). The Regenboogbuurt also reveals its name: When the houses were built, the facades were painted in different colors and that gives the neighborhood a special, almost Mediterranean atmosphere. The building regulations state that residents must respect the color of the facade. Via two bridges, over the Lage and Hoge Vaart, we set course for Stadshart Almere. There is also plenty to do here. Such as shopping, having a nightcap and chatting about this impressive route or visiting Museum De Paviljoens. There is always a beautiful exhibition on display here.