Zevenbergen, Willemstad and Standdaarbuiten

Willemstad is located on the important Hollandsch Diep river arm, which is connected to the Rhine and the Maas and is an important shipping route from Rotterdam to Antwerp. The town was built in a marine clay polder that was constructed in the sixteenth century. This polder was named"Polder de Ruigenhil\\\" and there are still some beautiful creek remnants. The surrounding area of Willemstad is extensive, with the highlight being the Buitengorzen salt marsh area. The Buitengorzen consist of land outside the dikes, where meadows, partly wet brush, reed fields and wild osiers predominate. Nature has been able to take its course in the osier and rough areas. Many different plant species bloom lushly there, including marsh marsh marigold, large spring seed, bitter field cherry and marshmallow. The quiet area is an Eldorado for birds: the great and lesser reed warbler, wood warbler and reed bunting like to breed there and the gray goose, white-fronted goose, lapwing and golden plover regularly return to look for food. The route starts at Profile Zevenbergen. 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 head for the river for a beautiful view over the Hollandsch Diep. . Fort Bovensluis was built between Klundert and Willemstad. Fort Bovensluis, which was built in 1861-1862, is located on the Hollandsch Diep. The fort, together with Fort de He, which you will see further on, had to provide cover for the rear of Fort de Ruijter. The fortress was surrounded by wet moats and could be entered via a postern. There was a barracks within the fort that could accommodate 188 troops. The fort was sold in 1953 and from then on the barracks building was used as a potato cold store. In 1965 a campsite was opened near the fort and to this day the fort is the beautiful center of the Bovensluis recreational park. The Mauritshuis (museum) is located in the small town of Willemstad. The Mauritshuis was built by order of Count Johan Maurits of Nassau-Siegen. Construction took place during the time that Johan Maurits was in Brazil as governor of the Dutch colony. In 1644 he started living in the house. He really didn't live there for long. After three years he left for Cleves, where he was appointed stadtholder. After his departure, the house had various functions. At the beginning of the nineteenth century it was used as a museum. Less than a kilometer from the museum is also the Orange Mill, a round stone flour mill that was built on this site in 1734 to replace a post mill. This predecessor was built elsewhere in Willemstad in 1584 and brought to this location in 1589. The mill was still in operation sometimes until 2008, but due to problems with the kingpin bearing, the mill had to be shut down. Nowadays the mill is inhabited. On the way and from the next attraction you can see the many wind turbines of Windpark Hellegatsplein. The tall buildings tower high above the water. The sight of so much technical ingenuity will undoubtedly be burned into your memory. Finally you come to Fort De Hel, which is part of the Defense Line of the Hollandsch Diep and the Volkerak. The French built the fortress in 1811 and then called it"l\\\'Enfer\\\". The fort was intended to provide cover for the Sabina Henrica fort, which was built nearby. After the departure of the French, this fort also received a Dutch name: De Hel. During the Second World War the fort was occupied by the Germans. The fort was declared a monument in 1988.