Cycling route'Struggle for Freedom\\\' in Hollands Kroon - short route

Description of the route
During the Second World War, a fierce battle raged in the clouds above the Wadden area. This air war has had a lasting impact on the landscape and the people who live there. For example, the observation bunker in Den Oever is reminiscent of the many bunkers of the Atlantic Wall in the Wadden area. These bunkers in the Wadden area are part of the more than 6,000 kilometer long German defense line from Norway to Spain.

A number of these special stories and locations have been connected by the municipality of Hollands Kroon through this cycle route. This cycling tour of more than 42 kilometers starts at the Port of Wieringen, where you have a view of an observation bunker. Along the way you will encounter various interesting places, all with a special story. Such as war graves of unknown soldiers or crashed English planes. Of course, there are also various entrepreneurs along the route where you can get a snack.

Another inspiring route
The route can be followed via the link: redactieroute.hollandskroon.nl
On this web page you will find 12 videos that tell the stories about the area when you walk or cycle here. These stories are told by people who have experienced something here or live or work here. Stories about the dike breach of 1945 told at De Wielen, about the bridle path in the Dijkgatsbos, about the pumping stations that ensure that the Wieringermeer does not flood and about lost pilots in the IJsselmeer. The Story Route IJsselmeer Coast is a total of 20 kilometers long.

Contents of the cycle route'Stijd om Vrijheid\\\' in Hollands Kroon

1. Start and end point Den Oever
The cycle route starts and ends at the parking lot in the port of Den Oever, a historic fishing port with a still active fishing fleet. The Sea Fresh Fish Market takes place here every Saturday morning, where you can choose fish yourself or eat some fish.

2. Wadden Viewpoint
A few hundred meters from the harbor is the Wadden Viewpoint, where you have beautiful views of the Wadden Sea. And the observation bunker that is part of the Atlantic Wall. You can also see the Afsluitdijk clearly.

Atlantic Wall floor
The then Minister of War was not confident about the construction of the Afsluitdijk. A fast connection between Friesland and Holland also meant quick passage for enemies. This is how the Afsluitdijk got its casemates. Den Oever got thirteen, on either side of the dike. The German soldiers who were stationed in Den Oever during the war destroyed the drainage sluices just before their retreat. The lock complex therefore presented a desolate appearance after the war. The statement itself was preserved. All parts of the Defense Line that were built before and during the war can still be found on either side of the Afsluitdijk. But for a long time they were poorly visible because they were overgrown with privet. Work on the Afsluitdijk will continue in the coming years to ensure that it can continue to protect the Netherlands against rising sea levels. The casemates are also made visible again.

Interim directions
Via junction 24 the route continues via Oosterland, Vatrop, Stroe, Noordburen to Hippolytushoef and Oosterland, where the Michael's Church from the 12th century dominates the field of view, with charming houses built for the senior staff of the Society for the Implementation of the Zuiderzee Works. One of them is used as a Bed & Breakfast, a unique place to spend the night.
A special fact is that the German ex-Crown Prince Wilhelm went into hiding here for a number of years during the First World War.
Vatrop has a beautiful viewpoint over the world heritage site The Wadden Sea.

3. Memorial pole and aircraft engines
The memorial pole is located at the intersection Vatropperweg / Gemenelandseweg
During the Second World War, more than 40 different bombers and fighter planes crashed within the municipal boundaries of Hollands Kroon. Planes have crashed on land, in the IJsselmeer and the Wadden Sea. Some crew members reached the ground with their parachutes and were arrested or were able to escape with the help of the Resistance. However, most died and did not return to their families and loved ones. Remembrance posts can be found throughout Hollands Kroon. The driving force behind the memorial posts is the Dutch Kroon Memorial Posts Foundation: https://shhk.nl/

In-depth story of crashed plane
On Wednesday morning, November 3, 1943, the American USAAF Republic Thunderbolt fighter type P-47 C and aircraft serial number 41-6587 QP-M with pilot Ivan Moon took off from Debden airport in England. That morning, 500 bombers took off from all over England, including 18 fighter planes from the 334 Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group. They had to protect American bombers against attacks by German fighters. These bombers had to bomb shipyards and submarine bunkers in Wilhelmshaven.

The American Air Force came into battle with the German Luftwaffe above the Dutch Wadden Sea. At 12.40 pm, after an air battle that was observed from the ground at Wieringen, Moon's aircraft crashed near Vatrop. The fighter plane with pilot crashed into the ground just behind a double house. Pilot Moon was killed. The Thunderbolt was shot down by a German fighter from Jagdgeschwader 3.
Source and more information: https://shhk.nl/crashinfo_41-6587.html

4. Crown Prince in hiding at Wieringen (Oosterland)
The route passes through Oosterland, where a special story took place. Not in the Second World War, but just after the First World War.
Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany had fled to the Netherlands in November 1918 and in his wake his eldest son had also requested political asylum here. The crown prince, who is also known as 'the slaughterer of Verdun', was safely stored by the Dutch authorities in distant Wieringen. That was quite a journey, first by train to Enkhuizen and from there by tugboat to Wieringen. It was so foggy that the party did not arrive on the island until the next day at the port of De Haukes. The crown prince had to move into the preacher's home in Oosterland.
Source: https://onh.nl/story/duitse-kroonprins-als-hoefsmid

5. Museum Jan Lont in Stroe (image of daily life)
This museum shows how the Wieringers lived and worked when Wieringen was still an island. Visitors, alone or accompanied by a guide, can get an idea of the original way of life on the island. You can also visit the museum for coffee, tea, or something else tasty. And you can go to the toilet here (even without a museum visit).
(address: Stroeërweg 39, 1777 NE Hippolytushoef).

You can make a short stop after the museum
at periscope Kijk over de Dijk . There you have an amazing view over the Wadden Sea. You get there by driving towards Wiringherlant recreation park. At the end of the road, against the dike, you will see the periscope. And then back again.

6. Hippolytushoef General Cemetery
Address: Noordburenweg 15 1777 NB Hippolytushoef
The cemetery contains the graves of 14 Commonwealth airmen, including the grave of Marten Snoodijk, a local hero. Read his special story here.

In-depth story'Sabotage at the Van Ewijcksluis\\\'
In the spring of 1945, the Germans placed explosive charges under bridges so that they could detonate them as the Allies advanced. Marten Snoodijk, a 31-year-old bicycle mechanic from Hippolytushoef, had joined the underground. At night he went in a boat to the bridge at the Van Ewijck lock to replace the explosive charges with wooden blocks, to prevent the Germans from blowing up the bridge. There was a German headquarters next to the bridge and the Germans kept watch on the bridge 24 hours a day. So there was a good chance that Marten would be caught. But his action still succeeded.

Betray
However, Marten was betrayed and went into hiding in the Wieringermeerpolder. Marten had to leave his hiding place quickly when the Germans flooded the polder. He was still arrested by Jurgen Hinrichsen, the German commander of the Van Ewijck lock.

A few days later, the Netherlands was liberated and the German soldiers left. But Marten had disappeared. He turned out to have been murdered by Hinrichsen, the German commander nicknamed 'the Razor'. The Razor turned out to be in Alkmaar prison and was taken to Wieringen. After being assaulted by the police, he confessed that he had killed Marten. Marten's body was found on July 28, 1945 in a hole on the shoulder of Rijksweg 10a from Ewijcksluis to De Kooy.

Marten was reburied at the Zandburen cemetery in Hippolytushoef. There you will still find his grave monument in the shape of the bridge at the Van Ewijcksluis.

Source and background information: https://www.historielokaalregionaalarchiefalkmaar.nl/brons/sabotage-aan-de-van-ewijcksluis/
https://onh.nl/story/warsherinneringen-uit-de-kroon-van-holland

7. War memorial in Westerland
In the north-northwest near the viaduct is the monument in memory of the victims of the Second World War.
Further information: https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westerland_(Noord-Holland)

Interim directions
Via Westerland (junction 76), and then via the following cycle junctions: 90, 95, 27, 96, 25, 66 back to the end point; the harbor in Den Oever. Enjoy a delicious fish on a terrace at the harbor, a nice ending to a special route.

8. Gap in the dike lookout point
Cycling junction 25
From April 17, the new viewpoint at the'Gat in the Dijk\\\' along the Noorderdijkweg in Wieringerwerf can be visited. This viewpoint is at the location where the dike was exploded by the Germans 75 years ago during the Second World War. This caused the entire Wieringermeer to flood again. After the Second World War, a nature reserve was created here called 'De Wielen' containing the remains of a foundation of a farm that stood there. An access path has been created on the old dike, which was broken at the time, with a viewpoint at the end. From this point you have a view of the water with the foundation of a farm that stood at the site of the dike breach.

Background information :
https://www.historielokaalregionaalarchiefalkmaar.nl/brons/de-wieringermeer-weer-gooigg/
https://www.entoen.nu/nl/noord-holland/noordkop/de-noordkop-onder-vuur

9. Bunker part of the Atlantic Wall
On the way back to the end point in Den Oever, near junction 66 and the recreational beach at the foot of the Afsluitdijk, you have a good view of one of the bunkers that are part of the Atlantic Wall. You can cycle here.

More information?
Learn more about the sights. catering, accommodations, opening hours, about the area and more? Visit https://www. Visithollandskroon.nl/ for more information.