Cycle route World Heritage | Dutch Water Defence Lines
Utrecht, Houten, Lunetten
Several waterlines can be discovered in the water-rich Netherlands. A waterline was set up as a defence of a certain area. A piece of land was partly flooded so you could not easily walk through it, but the water was just not high enough to sail on it. In this way, it was easy to keep the enemy at bay and water became an ally. The best-known water defence lines are the New Dutch Water Defence Lines and the Defence Line of Amsterdam. These two defence lines have been combined into one UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Dutch Water Defence Lines. The lines stretch from Volendam where they run in an arc past Beverwijk, IJmuiden, Haarlem, Hoofddorp, Aalsmeer to Weesp. This is the former Defence Line of Amsterdam. This flows into the New Dutch Water Defence Lines, which runs from the Muiderslot in Muiden and all the way through Breukelen, Utrecht, Culemborg and Leerdam towards the Biesbosch. Together, they are more than 200 kilometres long! This cycle route introduces you to the 'forts epicentre' around Utrecht. Here, you will find many forts, works, batteries and castles from times gone by. Start your route at the Waterline Museum at the Fort near Vechten, one of the highlights of the World Heritage Site. Here you will discover all about the Dutch Water Defence Lines. Not much further is the Fort near Rijnauwen, the largest fort of the New Dutch Water Defence Lines. Bats, badgers, deer and foxes now live in and around the nature fort. You can visit the fort with a guided tour or on special opening days. Alongside the fort is a fun hike for children: the Bunkerpad. Along the way, you will come across many more forts. Sometimes this requires a slight deviation from the route, but since you can add them to the route as an extra node with a simple click, you don't have to look far. Meanwhile, the forts have taken on other uses besides defence. For example, they are now used as restaurants, museums or offices. Almost all forts are freely accessible, so put your bike aside and explore on foot!
| Directions | Distance | Total distance | |
|
Start: Marsdijk , 3981 HE Bunnik | 55.9 KM | |
|
From
98
to
35
|
652 M | 0.7 KM | |
| Head west on Marsdijk | 652 M | ||
| You are now at section 35 | 0 M | ||
|
From
35
to
36
|
283 M | 0.3 KM | |
| Head southeast on Mereveldseweg | 159 M | ||
| Continue straight | 124 M | ||
| You are now at section 36 | 0 M | ||
|
From
36
to
1
|
2871 M | 2.9 KM | |
| Head southeast on Oud Wulfseweg | 1.6 KM | ||
| Turn left | 252 M | ||
| Turn left onto Notengaarde | 304 M | ||
| Continue onto Weerwolfspad | 668 M | ||
| You are now at section 01 | 0 M | ||
|
From
1
to
67
|
1698 M | 1.7 KM | |
| Head southwest on Imkerseind | 230 M | ||
| Turn left onto Lobbendijk | 723 M | ||
| Turn left onto Plein | 85 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Plein | 14 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Plein | 17 M | ||
| Turn right onto Plein | 82 M | ||
| Turn left onto Prins Bernhardweg | 123 M | ||
| Turn right | 424 M | ||
| You are now at section 67 | 0 M | ||
|
From
67
to
66
|
2885 M | 2.9 KM | |
| Head southeast on Houtensewetering | 599 M | ||
| Continue onto Beukenhout | 153 M | ||
| Continue straight | 30 M | ||
| Continue onto Weteringhout | 331 M | ||
| Continue straight | 23 M | ||
| Continue onto Parkhout | 1 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Schonauwensepad | 234 M | ||
| Turn right onto Schalkwijkseweg | 481 M | ||
| You are now at section 66 | 0 M | ||
|
From
66
to
63
|
892 M | 0.9 KM | |
| Head southeast on Poeldijk | 137 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Poeldijk | 11 M | ||
| Turn left onto Schonauwenseweg | 11 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Schonauwenseweg | 733 M | ||
| You are now at section 63 | 0 M | ||
|
From
63
to
62
|
3474 M | 3.5 KM | |
| Head north on Tiendweg | 658 M | ||
| Turn left onto Beusichemseweg | 153 M | ||
| Turn right onto Oostrumsdijkje | 366 M | ||
| Continue straight | 2.3 KM | ||
| You are now at section 62 | 0 M | ||
|
From
62
to
60
|
1379 M | 1.4 KM | |
| Head south on Achterdijk | 932 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Achterdijk | 447 M | ||
| You are now at section 60 | 0 M | ||
|
From
60
to
57
|
2651 M | 2.7 KM | |
| Head south on Herenstraat | 305 M | ||
| Turn right onto Hollendewagenweg | 2.3 KM | ||
| You are now at section 57 | 0 M | ||
|
From
57
to
58
|
783 M | 0.8 KM | |
| Head west on Tuurdijk | 783 M | ||
| You are now at section 58 | 0 M | ||
|
From
58
to
53
|
1056 M | 1.1 KM | |
| Head south on Nachtdijk | 1.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 53 | 0 M | ||
|
From
53
to
54
|
1538 M | 1.5 KM | |
| Head west | 187 M | ||
| Turn left | 761 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Beusichemseweg | 590 M | ||
| You are now at section 54 | 0 M | ||
|
From
54
to
52
|
3722 M | 3.7 KM | |
| Head northwest on Lekdijk | 2 KM | ||
| Make a slight left | 104 M | ||
| Continue onto Lekdijk | 1.6 KM | ||
| You are now at section 52 | 0 M | ||
|
From
52
to
51
|
2427 M | 2.4 KM | |
| Head west on Lekdijk | 2.4 KM | ||
| You are now at section 51 | 0 M | ||
|
From
51
to
18
|
2064 M | 2.1 KM | |
| Head northwest on Lekdijk | 2.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 18 | 0 M | ||
|
From
18
to
14
|
3367 M | 3.4 KM | |
| Head northwest on Gedekte Gemeenschapsweg | 11 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Gedekte Gemeenschapsweg | 1.2 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Lange Uitweg | 575 M | ||
| Turn left onto Waalseweg | 324 M | ||
| Turn right | 841 M | ||
| Keep right at the fork | 69 M | ||
| Turn right onto Waalseweg | 337 M | ||
| You are now at section 14 | 0 M | ||
|
From
14
to
3
|
2318 M | 2.3 KM | |
| Head northwest on Waalseweg | 2.3 KM | ||
| You are now at section 03 | 0 M | ||
|
From
3
to
16
|
740 M | 0.7 KM | |
| Head west on Achterweg | 740 M | ||
| You are now at section 16 | 0 M | ||
|
From
16
to
15
|
319 M | 0.3 KM | |
| Head north on Lekdijk oost | 319 M | ||
| You are now at section 15 | 0 M | ||
|
From
15
to
6
|
2493 M | 2.5 KM | |
| Head north on Sluispad zuid | 1.9 KM | ||
| Continue straight | 419 M | ||
| Turn right onto Vuilcopsekanaaldijk | 25 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 118 M | ||
| You are now at section 06 | 0 M | ||
|
From
6
to
70
|
1739 M | 1.7 KM | |
| Head northwest on Vuilcopsekanaaldijk | 154 M | ||
| Turn left onto Overeindsebrug | 136 M | ||
| Continue slightly right onto Lekkanaaldijk | 460 M | ||
| Turn right onto Structuurbaan | 758 M | ||
| Turn right onto Noorderveldweg | 231 M | ||
| You are now at section 70 | 0 M | ||
|
From
70
to
69
|
685 M | 0.7 KM | |
| Head northeast on Noorderveldweg | 685 M | ||
| You are now at section 69 | 0 M | ||
|
From
69
to
68
|
891 M | 0.9 KM | |
| Head north on Overeindseweg | 235 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Overeindseweg | 656 M | ||
| You are now at section 68 | 0 M | ||
|
From
68
to
27
|
1143 M | 1.1 KM | |
| Head northeast on 2e Veld | 959 M | ||
| Continue straight | 184 M | ||
| You are now at section 27 | 0 M | ||
|
From
27
to
32
|
578 M | 0.6 KM | |
| Head southeast | 184 M | ||
| Turn left | 394 M | ||
| You are now at section 32 | 0 M | ||
|
From
32
to
33
|
205 M | 0.2 KM | |
| Head east | 198 M | ||
| Turn left | 7 M | ||
| You are now at section 33 | 0 M | ||
|
From
33
to
34
|
1675 M | 1.7 KM | |
| Head north | 841 M | ||
| Turn left | 33 M | ||
| Continue onto Seychellenpad | 329 M | ||
| Turn left | 6 M | ||
| Turn right | 312 M | ||
| Turn right onto Oude Liesbosweg | 154 M | ||
| You are now at section 34 | 0 M | ||
|
From
34
to
37
|
2474 M | 2.5 KM | |
| Head north on Oude Liesbosweg | 571 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 227 M | ||
| Turn left | 36 M | ||
| Turn right | 295 M | ||
| Continue straight | 208 M | ||
| Turn left onto Houtensepad | 328 M | ||
| Turn left onto Laan van Kovelswade | 182 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Laan van Kovelswade | 627 M | ||
| You are now at section 37 | 0 M | ||
|
From
37
to
38
|
1268 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head northwest on Koningsweg | 15 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Koningsweg | 9 M | ||
| Make a slight left to stay on Koningsweg | 1.2 KM | ||
| Turn right | 34 M | ||
| You are now at section 38 | 0 M | ||
|
From
38
to
41
|
4816 M | 4.8 KM | |
| Head east | 6 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Tolsteegsingel | 674 M | ||
| Turn right onto Zonstraat | 490 M | ||
| Turn right onto Mecklenburglaan | 113 M | ||
| Turn left | 16 M | ||
| Turn left onto Julianalaan | 91 M | ||
| Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Koningslaan | 44 M | ||
| Exit the roundabout onto Koningslaan | 250 M | ||
| Turn right onto Prins Hendriklaan | 849 M | ||
| Turn right onto Platolaan | 2 KM | ||
| Make a slight right onto Rhijnauwenselaan | 313 M | ||
| You are now at section 41 | 0 M | ||
|
From
41
to
40
|
841 M | 0.8 KM | |
| Head southeast on Rhijnauwenselaan | 203 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Rhijnauwenselaan | 638 M | ||
| You are now at section 40 | 0 M | ||
|
From
40
to
39
|
931 M | 0.9 KM | |
| Head west on Provincialeweg | 504 M | ||
| Turn left onto Koningslaan | 54 M | ||
| Turn left onto Achterdijk | 115 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Achterdijk | 258 M | ||
| You are now at section 39 | 0 M | ||
|
From
39
to
98
|
1030 M | 1 KM | |
| Head southwest on Marsdijk | 1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 98 | 0 M |