Windmills, polders and fortress towns

Distance: 43 or 28 km

Windmills at Kinderdijk. Photo © Holland-Cycling.comWindmills at Kinderdijk. Photo © Holland-Cycling.com

This route takes you along the River Lek which dominates the flat polder landscape. The many windmills you’ll see, were built to pump excess water from the polders, which lie 1.5 metres under sea level, up to the river. Highlight of the route are the 19 historic windmills at Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that attracts visitors from all over the world.

From the ferry at Kinderdijk you follow the southern bank of the River Lek to the ferry at Bergstoep. After crossing the river you continue along the northern bank to the fortress town of Schoonhoven, famous for its silverware. Here you take the ferry back to the south side of the river. Via the picturesque fortress town of Nieuwpoort and Stork Village Het Liesvelt in Groot Ammers, you cycle back through the grasslands of the Alblasserwaard and past the windmills at Kinderdijk.

Kinderdijk Cycle Route

Distance: 28 km (1h50) or 43 km (2h50)
Type of route: Day trip, round trip
Starting point:

Ferry at Kinderdijk
- Bicycle rental
- Car parking

GPS: Download this route as a GPX file: 28 km or 43 km.

Find out more:

- For an overview of all of our must-do cycle routes, go to: Day trips.
- Do you need to rent a bike? Find out how on our Bicycle rental page.
- For an overview of cycling holidays that include Kinderdijk, go to our Holidays section.

 

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