To the mills of Schermer, the land of Leeghwater

Cycle through a typical Dutch polder landscape and marvel at an ingenious example of civil engineering that has made the Netherlands world famous. The water level in the polder is artificially regulated and is lower than in the surrounding areas and has no direct connection to the water outside the area, except via structures. The water level is regulated by polder mills, pumping stations or drainage locks. Where the water needs to be higher, a fixed, higher water level can be achieved with the help of weirs. The cycle route is therefore often crossed by waterways; ditches that can flow well to regulate the water.

The open and wide landscape that you see was once a large lake area. One of the lakes that were here, but that was last drained between 1633 and 1635, is the Schermeer, to which the area owes its name. The drainage of the Schermer and Schermereiland is done in a different way than most land reclamation projects in North Holland. As everywhere else, the polder was drained by mills, but in terms of water management, the Schermer was drained in a different way. First, a dike was constructed and (inner) reservoirs were dug. 52 thatched mills of the octagonal inner-cruiser type were placed on these.

There are three types of polders: reclamation, embankment and development. In a reclamation, open water has been reclaimed. Here, a lake or pond has literally been dried up. An embankment is a reclamation of an area on the coast. These are often salt marshes that have dried up here and dikes protect the area and keep the water away now. In development, natural wasteland has been reclaimed and prepared for cultural cultivation. Development does not always have to result in a polder landscape; former peat, marsh, heath or dune areas can of course also be given a different purpose.

You will see a lot of mills on this tour. The first four are already present at 3.5 kilometers. Ironing mill B, Ironing mill C, Ironing mill D, and Ironing mill E, are nicely next to each other. In total, fourteen of these mills stood at this location. Three of the four mills are ground-sailers that were built in 1630. Only Ironing mill E was placed two years earlier and is therefore the oldest of these four mills. The ironing mills are located at the Molenkade and pumped the water from various polders to the Schermerboezem.

At junction 52 at a crossroads of roads and waterways you will see mill De Otter which has a special status in this landscape. As the only one in this landscape with watermills it grinds grain and offers work to people with disabilities. Feel free to take a look at the mill yard.

Further on you will come across three more magnificent monuments, Strijkmolen L, Strijkmolen K, and Strijkmolen I. They do not so much bring the water to a higher level, like polder mills, but 'irone' it to other surface water, for example a river, so that it can be drained away. From a distance the view of the mills is truly magnificent.

The tour continues to Ondermolen O, Ondermolen K, and Bovenmolen G. The latter belonged to a ring of 16 mills and is the only one that has never been moved. Of the original 52 watermills, 11 have been preserved, the best known are at Schermerhorn and Ondermolen C, Bovenmolen E, Ondermolen D (Museum mill) are still popularly called 'the mill three-gang'. A visitor centre has been set up in the middle mill.