Dirksland, Nieuwe-Tonge and Middelharnis

The island of Goeree-Overflakkee in the southwest of South Holland used to consist of several small islands. In the battle against the water of the North Sea, people gradually conquered more and more land and the polders were constructed one by one. The first reclamation already took place in the twelfth century, when the Oudeland polder of Diependorst was reclaimed. Nevertheless, the conquest of the territory did not go without a hitch and the island was regularly hit by floods before the construction of the Delta Works. For example, 22 people drowned during the storm surge of 1682 and in 1953 the flood disaster claimed 481 lives. During this bike tour, the South Holland windmills on the island are central. At five hundred meters from the starting point of the route at B&B Groenewege in Dirksland, you will find windmill De Eendracht. The tower mill from 1846 ground grain on a professional basis until 1966. After that, the mill fell into disrepair and the interior was removed, but the municipality of Dirksland, who bought the mill in 1975, made the mill ready to grind again. The Molenstichting Goeree-Overflakkee has been the owner of the mill since 1988 and this organization also had De Eendracht restored. A roadside sign indicates whether the mill, which grinds grain on a voluntary basis, is open. Of the next mill you see on your journey, the connoisseurs will see by the blades that almost touch the ground that this is a ground sailer. D\\\'Oranjeboom was built in 1768 as a replacement for a standard mill that stood on the same spot. Since 1988, the mill has belonged to the Molenstichting Goeree-Overflakkee, which has restored the mill. The mill can be visited every week on Saturday between 10:00 and 16:00. The last windmill you can visit is located in Sommelsdijk and is called De Korenbloem. This tower mill was built in 1705 as a flour mill. In 2014, the round stone mill is only used on a voluntary basis. For a visit to De Korenbloem, interested parties must first make an appointment.