A museum without walls

From the towpath along the Vecht you can see how man has created his own paradise on earth. There are many country estates, farms and fruit orchards along the natural banks of the river. In Loenen aan de Vecht you walk through the monumental old village center.

Breeding ground of country estates
In the past, the Amsterdam rich enjoyed spending time on the Vecht in the summer. You walk past Nieuwerhoek country estate, which was built in 1640 by the Flemish Mennonite Hoek family. A little further away is Rupelmonde from 1768, the most photographed house in the Vecht region. During the First World War, this country house was almost blown up to create a clear field of fire for Fort Nieuwersluis.

Tranquil peat landscape
As you walk along the river, you will see here and there tufts of land outside the dike where summer bells or marsh marigolds bloom in the spring. From the right bank you look out over the lower peat meadow area, but also over the Loosdrechtse Plassen where there are still strips of land where peat used to be dried. Many of these farms now have summer houses.

Historic fortified village of Nieuwersluis
Life along the Vecht was not only idyllic. The village of Nieuwersluis had already received a fort during the war against the Spaniards. From 1673, this fortified village formed an important link in the Old and, later, the New Dutch Waterline. In the Vecht you can still see the dam lock that played a role in flooding the area in the event of a threat. While you walk along the Rijksstraatweg, you can admire the many monuments that Nieuwersluis has.