Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Gorinchem and Hoornaar

Be amazed by the vast, flat landscape of the Netherlands. You can look hundreds of meters away over fields and farms and farmlands appear as dots on the horizon. Beautiful houses stand on large pieces of land, while the plots of the various parcels are demarcated and intersected by straight dug ditches. The peace and space that characterizes the landscape between Hoornaar, Hardinxveld-Giessendam and Gorinchem, provides a relaxed feeling in a typical Dutch setting. The largest town that the bike tour passes through is Gorinchem. The town probably originated when fishermen and farmers founded a settlement here around the year 1000, at the mouth of the Linge and the Merwede. In the thirteenth century, the area and the town became the property of the Lords of Arkel and they ensured that the town was further fortified. Halfway through the fourteenth century, the raised ramparts were reinforced with stone walls. There were a total of 23 towers on them and there were seven gates in them, which created a real city wall. The beginning of a real city was a fact! During your bike ride you could pass the Jan van Arkel corn mill in the Arkel. The octagonal mill was built in 1852 on a spot where a polder mill had stood in the years before. In 1946 the mill became the property of the municipality of Arkel and until 1952 the part of the mill that was located under the tower loft was inhabited. After that the mill was rented to a miller, who started grinding corn again using wind power with the Jan van Arkel. From 1955 a diesel engine was used when there was no wind, so that the grain production for animal feed could continue. Anyone who wants to visit the corn mill can view the national monument from the inside on Saturdays. Before or after your bike ride you can take your bike to Profile Kramer (F) for a thorough maintenance service. The location is located near the parking lot where you can park your car for free. As an avid cyclist, it is important to have your bike properly maintained, and who can do that better than a bicycle specialist? Upon presentation of your bicycle advantage card, you will receive a discount of 10 euros on the work.