Tour of Houtrak and Zaandam

Your route starts at ParkCafé - Westgaarde Memorial Park. From here you can easily cycle into Het Houtrak. It is part of the Spaarnwoude nature and recreation area. Here you cycle through a mosaic of forest, flowery bushes and watercourses. Today you cross the IJ twice on a ferry, fun! Zaandam originally consisted of two parallel dikes on either side of the Zaan. Paths were constructed at right angles to this, into the field, where the many mills that this area once had were located. You also cross the Zaan with this route. Between bicycle junctions 68 and 73 paper mill De Schoolmeester. It is the last paper mill in the world that grinds using wind power. It was built in 1692 and is still used to make paper every day using traditional methods.