Along the Vinkeveense and Loosdrechtse Plassen

Water, water and more water: this route takes you through the unique old low peat area on the border of Utrecht and Holland. In addition to beautiful nature, you can also enjoy historical sights here.

Vinkeveense Plassen
The landscape around the Vinkeveense Plassen is still nice and rugged. From the cycle path you have a beautiful view over the water and the former farms where the peat was once laid to dry. Demmerik was probably founded by descendants of Danish Vikings who withdrew to this area in the eleventh century. As you drive through Demmerik, you can see from the long and cross-house farms that the hamlet still looks like an old peat village.

Loosdrechtse Plassen
At the Loosdrechtse Plassen you have beautiful views, so get off and enjoy the surroundings. In Oud-Loosdrecht you can still see many monumental farms and houses from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries on the dike. On the meandering Vecht you will pass old country estates that were built in the past by wealthy Amsterdam merchants.

Defense Line of Amsterdam
There are two forts from the Defense Line of Amsterdam on your route. The Fort in the Botshol is the only one in the Defense Line of Amsterdam to have retained its defensible earthwork from 1895. The Fort at the Nigtevecht is a national monument from 1904. During the Second World War, the fort served as a storage place for goods stolen by the Germans. Due to its location on the canal, they could transport the items to Germany via inland vessels.

The fort is nicknamed the Knakenfort, because it was used for several decades to store coins. An old bridge in the canal has been replaced by a dam that could support the weight of the heavy trucks carrying money.