gerrit test route

A bustling city on the Zuiderzee, which has a historic harbor a stone's throw from the lively center. Hoorn has a rich history and managed to work its way up from a small town to the city with the largest port in the area, after that of Amsterdam. The economic growth and strength of Hoorn was briefly curbed in the eighteenth century. Part of the harbor was silted up at that time and the French troops stationed in the city ruled it out. In the nineteenth century, Hoorn was given the opportunity to grow again. At that time the seeds were planted that made Hoorn the beautiful port city it is today. Another nice place you visit is Wognum. Archaeological finds indicate that Wognum originated around 900 AD, but hand axes and arrowheads from the Bronze Age have also been found in the area. The village itself lies on the banks of an old stream channel and some old peat streams still run nearby. Due to its location on the water, it is not surprising that residents of Wognum used to live mainly from fishing. In the seventeenth century, when Hoorn started to grow rapidly, Wognum took advantage of this: shipping was also beneficial for the prosperity of the village. The fishing culture declined, but gave room to the agricultural sector to grow. Near Wognum there are thousands of fruit trees and you will see a special mix of agricultural old buildings and more modern buildings. You start the route at Hotel De Magnet, located on the historic harbor of Hoorn. You follow the coast of the Zuiderzee and treat yourself to a beautiful view over the water. When you look more into the hinterland, you will also like the views over the vast polders. This will take you to the Westerveer windmill in the outskirts of Spanbroek. The polder mill was installed to drain the Westerveer polder. The polder was given a separate mill, because it is quite low and the water had to be pumped out regularly. This mortar mill was installed in 1873 for that reason. Until the last land consolidation, the Westerveer mill worked on wind power and the ground sailor therefore has the honor of being the last mill to drain a polder on wind power. In 2013, the mortar mill is inhabited. As the last sight, when you leave the water and the activity of the Markermeer behind you, you will see the windmill De Krijgsman in Oosterblok. The wooden tower mill replaces another mill that stood here until 1862, but was destroyed in a storm that year. The mill that was subsequently built on this site also did not last long: in 1896 it burned out after a lightning strike. The Krijgsman was built afterwards and is now well maintained by a foundation. When you return to the hotel, consider using our cycling package and book an overnight stay so that you can also explore route 127100. The hotel has an excellent kitchen, so when you have freshened up in your room, you can choose a cozy table for a romantic dinner on the harbor. On the terrace you can have a nice drink or prepare for the next day's bike ride, before you retire to your room to rest from the day's efforts.