A visit to Middelburg

From the old fortified town of Veere Meer you cycle to historic Middelburg while you pass by picturesque villages, old mills and wide landscapes. Several fortresses were built on Walcheren to protect against the advancing Vikings. Middelburg owes its name to this period because this castle was centrally located in Walcheren at the time. After the threat passed, Middelburg began to take advantage of its favorable location and became a trading center. During the time of the VOC, Middelburg was the most important city in the Netherlands, even after Amsterdam. The many historic buildings tell you that Middelburg was just as bustling in the Golden Age as it is now. In Sint Laurens you pass the former windmill De Hoop (hull/remainder) from 1721. The mill caught fire in 1943 because the catch had run hot. Since then, only the hull is still standing. As much of the inventory is still intact, there are serious plans to restore the mill. The round stone tower mill De Koe is still relatively young; it was not built until 1909. That happened on the foundation of a ground sailer from 1736, but it burned down. According to Zeeland tradition, the brick mill is white in color and in this case it is black tarred to the point. Until the major restoration in 1975/1976, the inner rod was fitted with the Bilau system. The outer rod has always remained Old Dutch. Unique to De Koe is that it is the only windmill in the Netherlands with bottom drive. De Koe is able to grind, but the lower floors are now furnished as a holiday home. Occasionally the mill is allowed to turn.