On Tholen along the Oosterschelde

When you stand at the very tip of Tholen, you look out over the Oosterschelde National Park. This part of the Oosterschelde has been officially a National Park since 2002 and is roughly bordered by the dikes of the 'islands' of Schouwen-Duiveland, Tholen and Sint Philipsland, Noord-Beveland and Zuid-Beveland and the dams of the Delta Works. The Oosterschelde National Park is the largest national park in the Netherlands. It is approximately 370 km2 in size (of which 350 km2 outside the dikes). Because the Oosterschelde was a river arm for a long time, it was an area with both fresh and salt water for a long time. The construction of the first Delta Works closed off the rivers, causing the Oosterschelde to become salty. Despite (or thanks to) these developments, the Oosterschelde has a unique flora and fauna. Well-known are the seals and the porpoises, which are seen with some regularity. During the bike ride you will pass a redoubt that was part of the West-Brabant waterline. The earthen Fort de Rovere has two bastions at the front, but the back is open. There is a dry moat around the fort and the slopes are overgrown with trees. All in all, the fort no longer looks very powerful, but it offers a nice change during the route. De Verwachting (hull/remains) is also a round, brick corn mill. The building dates from 1848 and looks a lot like the mill De Vier Winden that is located in Sint-Annaland. The mill ground grain on wind power until 1930. After that it was dismantled and a mechanical mill was made, which was in operation until 1964. In 1980 De Verwachting and the adjacent building were purchased, after which the mill was placed on the list of monuments. In 2009 the mill was completely restored and a pair of millstones were placed in the tower mill, so that it could start grinding grain again. A collection of models by Willem Bastiaanse is exhibited in the mill. The round stone tower mill De Hoop was built in 1736 on the water of the old city walls. The mill, with a span of more than 23 metres, has a zinc roof. De Hoop is still operational, but'turns for the prince\\\', which means that it is still in operation, but no longer grinds grain. The last mill that you can see during the bike ride is in Sint-Maartensdijk. The corn mill De Nijverheid dates from 1868 and was in operation until 1966. Two years before the mill's centenary, it was sold to the municipality. Since a restoration in 1985, a volunteer miller has regularly operated the mill.