Mastenbroek Route

Additional directions
In some places a junction sign is missing and the situation may be unclear:

Between junction 37 and 62:
At the Y-junction on the Zwartewaterweg in Hasselt, turn left onto Dijkwegje (so do not take the cycle path parallel to Zwartewaterweg towards Zwolle on the right).

Between junction 28 and 07:
From the Dijkersteeg (shell path along the Bisschopswetering) at the five-way junction, turn left and continue along the path along the Bisschopswetering.

The Koppeler-waard
A new nature reserve has been created in the IJsselbocht near Wilsum: the Koppelerwaard. In the mid-nineties of the last century, the dikes near Kampen were in need of reinforcement. It was decided to dig up the necessary clay near Wilsum. The resulting lake was given a natural profile. The gentle banks provide space for marsh plants such as reed, sedge and cattail. Marsh birds are also increasingly finding their way to this new nature reserve.

Kamper Island
The Utrecht bishop Jan van Arkel gave the city of Kampen the right to reclaim land on the Kampereiland. The Kampereiland was created by silting up from the IJssel and by peat extraction. Human activities accelerated this process: rushes were a source of income for the 'rush matters'. They planted the new rushes in late spring. In the summer, the older rushes, which had been planted at least two years earlier, were harvested. The rush fields extended as far as Ens in the current Noordoostpolder. Around 1870, the 'rush matting' reached its peak, but machine looms replaced this labour-intensive work at the beginning of the 20th century. The carpet industry in Genemuiden is the modern successor to the old rush matting.

Mounds
Both on the Kampereiland and in the Polder Mastenbroek, mounds can be seen. The area was regularly flooded by the Zuiderzee. During the storm surge of 1825, the Polder Mastenbroek was even completely flooded. The residents were usually unable to use natural elevations and therefore lived on self-made mounds of clay, sand, shells and sea grass. The eddies along the Kamperzeedijk are reminders of the dike breaches.

Polder Mastenbroek
Polder Mastenbroek is one of the oldest polders in the Netherlands. The polder was created by peat extraction. In 1330, there was still talk of an 'unattended and undiked' area. But the soil was apparently already strong enough to support people, because barely thirty years later, dikes were built around 'het broek' and the first farmers had settled there. Bishop Van Arkel was the owner of the polder, but he had to go to great lengths to maintain his possessions in the face of intruders and the local nobility.

Two hundred hectares of grassland
Staatsbosbeheer has purchased two hundred hectares of grassland between Genemuiden and Zwolle to protect the fritillary. About 90% of all Dutch fritillaries grow here. The flower blooms from the end of April to the beginning of May. The seeds ripen in early June and are spread by the water during floods. For this reason, this area is not mown until after 21 June. The soil is kept poor so that fast-growing plants do not overgrow the fritillaries. The flower is threatened throughout Europe by intensive agriculture.

Route offered by: ANWB