Fortress to fortress route: Geertruidenberg - Heusden. 67 km.

This cycle route takes you via the Halve Zolenpad from Geertruidenberg to Drunen and from the fortified town of Heusden back to Geertruidenberg. Between Drunen and Heusden you cycle over the Elshoutse Zeedijk, meandering past sixteen lakes. Pay close attention to all the beauty you encounter along the way.

Geertruidenberg was initially part of the county of Holland . In 1213, the town received its first city rights , namely the market rights. In 1320, the town was expanded and was able to build fortifications. A further expansion in the 14th century was the minting rights, the count's mint was established in the town. ^[2] Due to its strategic location, the town was able to develop prosperously, it was sometimes called the 'Key of Holland'. In 1269, Count Floris V married Beatrijs, the youngest daughter of the Count of Flanders, in Geertruidenberg. ^[3] Around 1320, Willem van Duivenvoorde acquired the office of bailiff of Geertruidenberg, he also built a castle there. In 1336 the Carthusian monastery of Geertruidenberg was founded, it fell in 1573 due to the troubles of the Eighty Years' War . When the Kingdom of Holland was founded in 1806 a new departmental division was introduced. Geertruidenberg became part of the Department of Brabant . Until then it had been the oldest city in Holland. After this Dordrecht, which obtained its first city rights in 1220, took over this position. The flourishing period came to an end with the conquest in 1420 by the Kabeljauwse   Dordrecht and the St. Elizabeth's flood of 1421. The city was badly damaged, lost its trading function and lost many of its privileges. In contrast, river fishing developed and Geertruidenberg became an important market place for salmon , sturgeon and shad .