Then & Now ribbon village route in Westfriesland

The Then & Now route takes you through characteristic ribbon villages and an open landscape. The sky is high and the light is special. There is a full view of striking church towers and silhouettes of centuries-old bell-shaped farmhouses. In between you see the 'now': modern agricultural companies and the busy A7, which you drive under and over. Yet here, in the heart of West Friesland, the 'then' predominates. Experience history while the wind blows through your hair. A good example of a ribbon village are the villages of Benningbroek and Sijbekarspel, which are connected to each other and form a long road (ribbon) of several kilometers. A bell-shaped farm is a type of farm that is almost exclusive to North Holland. The pyramid-shaped roof rests on the square: an extremely strong wooden frame in the middle of the farm where the hay used to be kept. People and livestock lived together under one roof. Step-away places An old and new farmhouse Dokter de Vriesstraat 12 and 33B, Benningbroek: Here an old and a new farm stand opposite each other. The old bell jar dates from around 1640. Note the beautiful funeral and wedding door. Only a bride and a dead person were allowed to leave the farm through such a door. The new bell jar was built in 2004. That year is shown near the chimney. Here you can see that a new building can also have a historic appearance. De Weere Church De Weere is a Catholic village, the tall Lambertus Church can be seen from afar. This church dates from 1906. Around 1900, the Catholic churches became more visible in villages and towns, and Catholic self-consciousness grew. Also note similar churches in Wervershoof and Nibbixwoud. Protected village view Twisk, with its winding village road, is considered by many to be the most beautiful village in West Friesland. It is originally a wealthy village. The large, beautifully decorated farms testify to that prosperity. Consider Dorpsweg K 65, K 69, K 79, K 85 and K 173/174 (the letter K stands for built-up area). These are all national monuments. The closer to the road, the older the farm. Also look up at the chimneys, the square ones are older than the round ones. Cycle path Twisk - Broerdijk This new cycle path runs through old agricultural land: the Twiskerveld. The high, round fields (not quay land!) are bordered by ditches. These fields contain a layer of cultivation soil 1 to 2 meters thick, the so-called garden soils. This is what all the land here used to look like. Most of it has been leveled, but the historic grounds are maintained here. Want to know more about the history of Westfriesland? Then come and visit VVV Enkhuizen.