Forts around the Vinkeveense Plassen

Explore the Vinkeveense Plassen nature and water sports area and immerse yourself in the bustle of this popular recreation area in the Randstad. Marinas and cozy restaurants bring life to the banks, while water skiers, divers and skippers seek refuge on the water. In the puddles, which are sometimes up to 53 meters deep, there are elongated islands that are used as fields, where wet peat used to be dried, because the puddles were created after intensive peat extraction in this area. You can park your car at the Pannenkoeken restaurant Het Voordek at the Vinkveense Plassen. The spacious terrace on the water invites you to order a nice cup of coffee and freshly baked apple pie, but you can also enjoy delicious, freshly baked pancakes after the bike ride. There are also plenty of other dishes on the menu, making this versatile restaurant a great place to sit down when you get off your bike. The forts in the Randstad are also fun to visit. The tour first takes you to the Fort at Nigtevecht. This fort was built between 1888 and 1903 and is part of the Defense Line of Amsterdam, as part of the Abcoude-Nigtevecht line. This line consists of the fort at Abcoude, the batteries east of Abcoude, the fort at Nigtevecht and the wall between the Geindijk and the fort at Nigtevecht. The fort on the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal houses a commander, three officers, 21 non-commissioned officers and 301 corporals and men. Around Fort Waver-Amstel, many rabbits hop in the reeds and grass in and around the moat. This fort is part of the Defense Line of Amsterdam. The primary purpose was to defend flood sluices in the area, but also to protect the Groot Mijdrecht water board in front of the fort. The Fort at Uithoorn defended something completely different. Instead of closing off waterways, this fort was built to protect the (former) railways that ran from Uithoorn to Alphen aan de Rijn and from Uithoorn to Nieuwersluis-Loenen. The fort is still largely in good, original condition, which gives you a nice insight into a military piece of history in this region.