North Beemster, Alkmaar and West-Graftdijk

The route skirts a beautiful area consisting of the Beemster, Graft-De Rijp, and Schermer rivers. The former Schermer Island was already reclaimed in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, and with its countless ditches, historic villages, and unique natural landscape, it forms a stunning contrast with the geometry of the Schermer and Beemster polders. Explore Alkmaar's charming courtyards, cycle along the old canals, and discover its narrow streets. Don't miss a visit to the traditional cheese market, which made the "Cheese City" famous, and soak up the atmosphere of the historic city center, which boasts hundreds of magnificent municipal and national monuments. It's no wonder the city center and the Westerhoutkwartier are protected cityscapes! Alkmaar has a turbulent history full of memorable moments. Highlights include the acquisition of city rights in 1254, the Blood Miracle in 1429, when bloodstains miraculously appeared on a piece of cloth, and the fact that the people of Alkmaar managed to keep the Spanish at bay during the Eighty Years' War using boiling tar and burning brushwood. Low points include the great city fire of 1328, the Cheese and Bread People's Uprising in 1517, and the killing of the Alkmaar martyrs in 1572 because of their Catholic faith. Like the previous and following forts, Fort Spijkerboor is part of the defense line known as "the Defence Line of Amsterdam." The fort was mobilized during the First World War but has also served other purposes. For example, the fortress served as a prison for conscientious objectors and several prominent members of the NSB (Dutch National Socialist Movement), and also housed a number of political offenders. The fort is located in a nature reserve and is surrounded by a poplar forest and a deciduous forest, where various bird species breed.