Explore Groot Ammers and surroundings

When you think of Alblasserdam as a cyclist, it is almost inevitable that you think of windmills. The vast peat area is intersected by ditches, canals and two small rivers: the Alblas and the Giessen. The area derives its characteristic, historical identity with names from the many windmills along the Kinderdijk in Nieuw-Lekkerland.

The windmills are on the World Heritage List and are iconic for the area. All these mills ensured that the excess water, which reached the Alblasserwaard when flooding occurred, was pumped upwards. It was then discharged into the river through sluices. In World War II, this even happened without electrical assistance.

But along the way you will also come across other windmills that are not located on the Kinderdijk. The first mill you see is even a mill ruin. The Fundering Sluismolen (hull/remainder) is the remnant of a seesaw mill that burned down completely in June 1979. The damage was so great that it was never repaired, but the mill was dismantled earlier (in 1970) and thus lost its function. The foundation of the mill has been preserved as a national monument.

The Achtkante Mill is also on the route. This mill is also located in Groot-Ammers, but it stands out among the previous seesaw mills because of its shape. The mill from 1805 replaces a seesaw mill that burned down earlier that year. This mill also drained the Liesveld polder until the mid-seventies of the twentieth century.

The construction of the Kleine Molen, also known as Kleine Tiendweg Molen, is unknown. What is known is that the seesaw mill used to be part of a mill corridor with three lower and two upper mills. It can be established that the mill in any case dates from before 1751. In 1977/1978 the mill was restored. The mill is able to grind in circuit, because the two upper mills that drained the water were destroyed by fire.

 The Oude Weteringmolen in Streefkerk is also a seesaw mill. The mill dates from 1751 or earlier and has been in operation for 200 years. The mill grinds in a circuit, because the old waterways no longer exist.

You will then pass a seesaw mill from 1581. The Broekmolen was built with an open paddle wheel. He drained the Streefkerk polder until 1951.

The Goudrian windmill is proudly displayed on the Molenkade of the Smoutjesvliet in Goudriaan. This polder mill was built in 1779 to drain the Oud-Goudriaan polder. It replaced another seesaw mill that stood here before. Because the mill is inhabited, it cannot be visited.

There is another seesaw mill in Langerak, but this one is even older than the previous one. The mill was installed in 1652, together with two other mills. The mill has always been well maintained and parts that needed to be replaced were also replaced. In this way it withstood the test of time and a voluntary miller can still drain the polder with the Westermolen.

Then you will see the Achtkante Mill. This mill is also located in Groot-Ammers, but it stands out among the previous seesaw mills because of its shape. The mill from 1805 replaces a seesaw mill that burned down earlier that year. This mill also drained the Liesveld polder until the mid-seventies of the twentieth century.

During the second part of the route you will also come across a well-preserved mill corridor of three seesaw mills in Groot-Ammers: the Achterlandse Molen, the Graaflandse Molen, and the Gelkenes Molen. The mills are believed to have been built around 1596 or even earlier. The three windmills drained the Liesveld polder until 1965.