Cycle route in the wheel of the brave Catharina
Harderwijk, Nijkerk
Along this route you cycle between two places that both have a special connection with Saint Catharina of Alexandria. Catharina, one of the most revered saints of the Middle Ages, was known for her wisdom, courage and unwavering faith. According to tradition she defied Emperor Maxentius, defeated philosophers in debate, broke the wheel on which she was to be tortured, and was eventually beheaded. It is no wonder that she was honoured for centuries as a symbol of steadfastness, with churches, chapels and monasteries bearing her name across Europe. Although Catharina’s life story ended brutally, this cycling route certainly does not. On the contrary: the journey between Harderwijk and Nijkerk, two places each with their own Catharinakerk or chapel, is a route full of variety, surprising sights and relaxed kilometres. In Harderwijk the medieval Catharinakapel recalls the former monastery that once formed part of the religious life of the city. In the time of the Hanseatic League, when Harderwijk was an important trading city with a lively harbour, the monastery played a central role. Its location on the Zuiderzee made Harderwijk a thriving centre of fishing and trade for centuries. With the reclamation of the Zuiderzee the city lost its direct access to the sea and therefore its harbour function. Nevertheless Harderwijk continued to develop. Today it is not only a busy city, but also a popular destination for tourists, with its historic centre, lively terraces and the proximity of water and forest. Nijkerk owes its name to the ‘Nije Kerk’ (New Church), built in the same year the town received its city rights. That church, dedicated to Saint Catharina, grew into the heart of Nijkerk. The present Sint Catharinakerk still stands in the centre, with its white tower as a beacon above the city skyline. With the construction of the Amersfoort–Zwolle railway line in 1863 Nijkerk became attractive for entrepreneurs and developed into a town with business activity and industry. At the same time the surrounding countryside remained remarkably small scale and agricultural. Because land consolidation never took place, you can still see a classic coulisse landscape around Nijkerk, with hedgerows, higher sandy fields, farms on higher ground and meadows in the wetter areas. Image: Saint Catharina of Alexandria by Caravaggio 1598 Public Domain.
| Directions | Distance | Total distance | |
|
Start: Palmbosweg , 3853 LB Ermelo | 56.7 KM | |
|
From
7
to
32
|
184 M | 0.2 KM | |
| Head southwest on Palmbosweg | 184 M | ||
| You are now at section 32 | 0 M | ||
|
From
32
to
38
|
5449 M | 5.4 KM | |
| Head southwest | 25 M | ||
| Turn right onto Palmbosweg | 283 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 71 M | ||
| Turn right onto Palmbosweg | 815 M | ||
| Continue onto strandboulevard | 2.5 KM | ||
| Turn left onto strandboulevard | 1.5 KM | ||
| Keep right onto Strandboulevard | 226 M | ||
| You are now at section 38 | 0 M | ||
|
From
38
to
67
|
4671 M | 4.7 KM | |
| Head south on Strandboulevard | 216 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Strandboulevard | 123 M | ||
| Continue straight | 219 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Putter Zeedijk | 4.1 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Berencamperweg | 36 M | ||
| You are now at section 67 | 0 M | ||
|
From
67
to
52
|
623 M | 0.6 KM | |
| Head west | 25 M | ||
| Turn left | 57 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Zeedijk | 541 M | ||
| You are now at section 52 | 0 M | ||
|
From
52
to
44
|
6365 M | 6.4 KM | |
| Head south on Arkersluisweg | 1.8 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Junckerpad | 829 M | ||
| Continue straight | 1.1 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Zeilmaker | 153 M | ||
| Turn right | 185 M | ||
| Turn left onto Tabaksplanter | 26 M | ||
| Turn right | 35 M | ||
| Turn right onto Truus Bokkerspad | 310 M | ||
| Turn left onto Doornsteeg | 317 M | ||
| Turn left | 67 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 159 M | ||
| Turn right | 618 M | ||
| Turn right onto Watergoorweg | 79 M | ||
| Turn left onto Havenstraat | 312 M | ||
| Turn left onto Havenstraat | 49 M | ||
| Turn right onto Kolkstraat | 248 M | ||
| Continue slightly right onto Plein | 36 M | ||
| You are now at section 44 | 0 M | ||
|
From
44
to
2
|
9436 M | 9.4 KM | |
| Head east on Nieuwstraat | 15 M | ||
| Continue straight | 77 M | ||
| Turn left onto Plein | 17 M | ||
| Continue onto Bagijnenstraat | 179 M | ||
| Turn right onto Vrijheidslaan | 163 M | ||
| Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Vetkamp | 19 M | ||
| Exit the roundabout onto Vetkamp | 89 M | ||
| Turn left onto Molenplein | 80 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Van Reenenpark | 287 M | ||
| Turn left onto Willem-Alexanderplein | 182 M | ||
| Keep right onto Havenlijn | 1.4 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Nijverheidsstraat | 20 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Nijverheidsstraat | 460 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 628 M | ||
| Turn left onto Berencamperweg | 355 M | ||
| Turn right | 30 M | ||
| Turn right onto Hardenbergerweg | 977 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Hardenbergerweg | 16 M | ||
| Turn left | 1.1 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Meskampersteeg | 2 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Donkeresteeg | 417 M | ||
| Make a slight right to stay on Donkeresteeg | 459 M | ||
| Make a slight right to stay on Donkeresteeg | 386 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 205 M | ||
| You are now at section 02 | 0 M | ||
|
From
2
to
3
|
903 M | 0.9 KM | |
| Head south on Deuverdenseweg | 259 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Nieuwe-Beekpad | 644 M | ||
| You are now at section 03 | 0 M | ||
|
From
3
to
4
|
2104 M | 2.1 KM | |
| Head east on Beulekampersteeg | 2.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 04 | 0 M | ||
|
From
4
to
37
|
5959 M | 6 KM | |
| Head north | 1.5 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Groot Hellerweg | 120 M | ||
| Turn right onto Groot Hellerweg | 67 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Groot Hellerweg | 1.6 KM | ||
| Continue straight | 8 M | ||
| Turn left onto Nijkerkerstraat | 104 M | ||
| Turn right onto Leembruggerweg | 82 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Leembruggerweg | 744 M | ||
| Turn right onto Waterweg | 974 M | ||
| Make a slight left to stay on Waterweg | 736 M | ||
| You are now at section 37 | 0 M | ||
|
From
37
to
36
|
814 M | 0.8 KM | |
| Head northeast on Waterweg | 8 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Waterweg | 16 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Stenenkamerseweg | 790 M | ||
| You are now at section 36 | 0 M | ||
|
From
36
to
18
|
1493 M | 1.5 KM | |
| Head northeast on Kuiterweg | 579 M | ||
| Turn right onto Zuiderzeestraatweg | 40 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Zuiderzeestraatweg | 20 M | ||
| Turn left onto Vanenburgerallee | 854 M | ||
| You are now at section 18 | 0 M | ||
|
From
18
to
12
|
1150 M | 1.2 KM | |
| Head northeast on Vanenburgerallee | 789 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Kiefveldersteeg | 361 M | ||
| You are now at section 12 | 0 M | ||
|
From
12
to
35
|
211 M | 0.2 KM | |
| Head northeast on Oude Telgterweg | 207 M | ||
| Turn left | 4 M | ||
| You are now at section 35 | 0 M | ||
|
From
35
to
33
|
3915 M | 3.9 KM | |
| Head northwest on Nijkerkerweg | 2.2 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Telgterweg | 14 M | ||
| Make a slight right to stay on Telgterweg | 441 M | ||
| Turn right onto Zeeweg | 1.2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 33 | 0 M | ||
|
From
33
to
73
|
3361 M | 3.4 KM | |
| Head northeast on Fokko Kortlanglaan | 187 M | ||
| Turn left onto Molenkamp | 336 M | ||
| Turn left onto Molenkamp | 249 M | ||
| Turn right onto Kloenenkamp | 173 M | ||
| Turn left onto Bongerd | 104 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Bongerd | 38 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Bongerd | 76 M | ||
| Turn right onto Witteland | 278 M | ||
| Turn left onto Enckerkamp | 8 M | ||
| Make a slight right to stay on Enckerkamp | 519 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Enckerkamp | 101 M | ||
| Continue onto Zwartepad | 801 M | ||
| Turn left onto Triasgracht | 169 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Triasplein | 322 M | ||
| You are now at section 73 | 0 M | ||
|
From
73
to
16
|
1039 M | 1 KM | |
| Head north on Ouverturepad | 83 M | ||
| Continue straight | 151 M | ||
| Turn right onto Chopindreef | 805 M | ||
| You are now at section 16 | 0 M | ||
|
From
16
to
82
|
3362 M | 3.4 KM | |
| Head south on Beneluxpad | 51 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Beneluxpad | 323 M | ||
| Turn left onto Beneluxlaan | 405 M | ||
| Turn left onto Kennedylaan | 216 M | ||
| Turn left onto Eisenhowerlaan | 92 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Churchill-laan | 253 M | ||
| Turn left onto Oranjelaan | 59 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Oranjelaan | 338 M | ||
| Turn right onto Stationsplein | 118 M | ||
| Continue straight | 42 M | ||
| Turn left onto Stationslaan | 37 M | ||
| Turn right onto Badweg | 17 M | ||
| Turn left | 237 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 16 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Stationslaan | 689 M | ||
| Turn left onto Vitringasingel | 14 M | ||
| Turn right onto Smeepoortstraat | 410 M | ||
| Turn left onto Buiten de Bruggepoort | 45 M | ||
| You are now at section 82 | 0 M | ||
|
From
82
to
9
|
2441 M | 2.4 KM | |
| Head south on Wellenpad | 2.4 KM | ||
| You are now at section 09 | 0 M | ||
|
From
9
to
7
|
3247 M | 3.2 KM | |
| Head east on Zeepad | 101 M | ||
| Turn right onto Palmbospad | 1.3 KM | ||
| Make a slight left onto Palmbosweg | 1.3 KM | ||
| Make a slight right to stay on Palmbosweg | 547 M | ||
| You are now at section 07 | 0 M |