Alkmaar, Krommenie and Heiloo

You cycle through cozy narrow streets, through beautiful courtyards and along beautiful canals, but what really sets Alkmaar apart is of course the cheese market and the cheese museum. Explore the "Cheese City" with its historic center, which has no fewer than 700 municipal and 339 national monuments, and enjoy the vastness outside the built-up area. The route starts at Profile Yvo Jonker. Here you get a whopping 10 euro discount on maintenance and repairs when you show your bicycle discount pass, so this is an excellent opportunity to give your bike a little maintenance before you leave and follow the river downstream. Then you set course for the Oude Knegt. The Oude Knegt is a ground sailor that was built in 2003. The mill was originally built in 1981 and was made operational in 1983. The mill burned down on New Year's Eve of 2000/2001 when a flare set the mill ablaze. Although the mill was not completely destroyed, it was still demolished. Construction of a new flour mill began in 2002 and was completed in 2003. The mill can be visited on Saturdays or by appointment. The Dorregeester Mill is next on the programme. The octagonal windmill was built in 1896 around a polder of 185 hectares on the Schermerboezem. The predecessor of the current Dorregeester Mill burned down in 1895. From 1947 the mill fell into disrepair because it was taken out of operation. Between 1975 and 1978 the mill was restored bit by bit and is running regularly again. The mill can be viewed by appointment. Another five kilometers further in the watery area, you will see the Tweede Broekermolen in Uitgeest. The octagonal windmill was built in 1631 and together with four other mills it drained the Uitgeester and Heemsterkerkerbroekpolder. The polder mill stands on a low stone base and the upper part is made of wood and covered with reeds. The mill is inhabited and the inside of the mill above the house is black with soot. This is because the smoke from the stove used to be led outside through the mill. The idle work that is present in the mill is special, because this mainly only occurs in flour mills. In the industrial heritage park De Hoop, there is the small mill De Hoop (reconstruction), which is also called the Corneliszoon. The tower mill stands on top of a building and powers woodworking machines. Built in 2010, the octagonal mill is one of the youngest in the Netherlands. The mill had a predecessor from 2008, called De Jonge Leeuw. Because the loan of that mill expired, the current mill was installed. Then you come to Fort Kijk, which is part of the Defense Line of Amsterdam. Between 1897 and 1956 it was used as a fortification. Over the years, there have been many adjustments to the fort, the associated bomb-proof buildings, the roof and two casemates. The original interior layout has been retained and the classroom numbers are still clearly visible on the walls. Since 2008, the inundation area near the Fort has been flooded at the beginning of March so that geese and ducks can find food here. When you cycle through the built-up area again in Heiloo, you will arrive at the Ter Coulster estate. From 1404 to 1788, this estate was dominated by a beautiful castle. Nothing remains of the castle, not even a ruin that reminds us of the glory days of the fortress. Now the estate consists of old forests in which a farm from the nineteenth century and a tea house built in 1891 are hidden. You will see the last sight when you return to picturesque Alkmaar: Piet's Mill. This octagonal tower mill is also called the De Groot mill. The mill was once built as a rampart mill and has dominated the cityscape ever since. In 1884 the mill was purchased by Cornelis Piet, who had a house built at the bottom of the mill. As a result, the mill was popularly given the new name: Piet's Mill and the original name was hardly used anymore. Piet's Mill is designed as a flour mill and is now used as a museum and home in 2013.