Windmills between Breda and Drimmelen

You cycle from the city to the former heath and drifting sand area, the Vrachelse Heide. Nowadays, the Heath is largely planted with Scots pine, but remnants of the heath and drifting sand can still be found. The area is owned by Defense. In the eastern part you will find mixed forest and oak thickets, previously planted by farmers to control the drifting sand. The harebell and heather spurry grow here and the red wood ant and the brown sand-eye have found their home. Anyone with good ears can recognize the calls of many birds, such as the green and black woodpecker, the sparrowhawk, the tree falcon, the hawk, the little owl and long-eared owl, the collared redstart and the pied flycatcher. De Hoop flour mill was built in 1837. The windmill was severely damaged during the Second World War. In the following years, an electric mill replaced the mill. In 1995, De Hoop was made ready for grinding again. The mill now grinds with two grinding couples, on a voluntary basis. Drimmelen is located on the Amer, with De Biesbosch National Park on the other side. In the harbor of Drimmelen you can rent boats to cross the Amer and explore the Biesbosch. Near the harbor you will find the Biesbosch Drimmelen Visitor Center of Staatsbosbeheer, where you can learn everything about the Biesbosch and the rich life in this area. The Molen Zeldenrust scaffolding is largely made of iron, which is not often the case. The flour mill dates from 1866 and was in operation until 1946. The restoration of the mill was completed in 1994. The Kleine Schans is a fortification from the Eighty Years' War. It started in 1590 as the Spanish army camp Roma and was constructed in its current form in 1637 to protect shipping on the Mark. It is a quadrangular bastioned fort with a wet moat. In 1830 it served as a stronghold against the Belgians in the Belgian war of secession. The ramp has been renovated since 2010. You will now find a lookout tower, a play fort for children, a park with ponds and a catering facility. The bastions will be restored and a swamp area and an event area will be created. Past the fort you ride your bike onto the ferry. It is useful to have some money on hand for the crossing. On the other side of the Mark, the route takes you further towards your start and end point.