Historic towns along the Lek and Lopikerwaard

This cycle route takes you along the Lopikerwaard. In the pleasantly quiet polder landscape you cycle through historic towns and along the Lek and the Hollandse IJssel.

Historic Montfoort
In Schoonhoven you will see the Veerpoort, the only one of the original five city gates that has survived. In Montfoort you will see another historical gate: the gatehouse of the Montfoort Castle, which was demolished in the seventeenth century. You will also pass the Sint-Janskerk from 1500 and the Commanderij van Sint-Jan, a former monastery building from 1544. Oudewater is the oldest town in the Groene Hart. In the Waag from 1482 there is an exhibition about the persecution of witches.

Natural History Museum
In the Lopikerwaard you can still find many old polder mills. For example, you can see De Bachtenaar from 1714. The Bonrepas (French for good meal) is even older: this beautiful mill dates from 1600. If you want to know more about the water management in the Lopikerwaard (where most houses are lower than the rivers!) you can visit Poldermuseum Gemaal De Hooge Boezem in Haastrecht. The Natuurmuseum de Wielewaal is also interesting, with many stuffed animals.