CYCLING ROUTE · SOUTH HOLLAND
Cycling Route Krimpenerwaard and Reeuwijkse Plassen
Cycle through the green heart of South Holland, where peat meadows, narrow dikes, shimmering lakes, and quiet country roads surround historic Gouda.
The Landscape
The Krimpenerwaard is a classic peat and pasture landscape between the Lek and the Hollandse IJssel. Long drainage ditches, narrow fields, meadows, traditional farms and cheese dairies define the scenery. Over centuries, the former peatland was transformed into one of the Netherlands' most iconic polder landscapes.
North of Gouda lie the Reeuwijkse Plassen, lakes formed through centuries of peat extraction. Long, narrow lakes, reed beds, wooden embankments and slender strips of land still reflect this history today. Together, the Krimpenerwaard and the Reeuwijkse Plassen form a distinctive cultural landscape of peat meadows, water and historic Dutch water management.
What You’ll Discover Along the Way
Polders and Farmlands
In the Krimpenerwaard, the route follows the historic pattern of long, narrow fields, with ditches cutting through the grasslands like shimmering lines. You cycle past farmhouses, pollard willows and embankments that keep the landscape open.
Marshes and Peatlands
Along the edges of the polders, reed fringes, marshy grasslands and shallow wetlands provide important feeding areas for birds. Land subsidence and water management are visible everywhere, from pumping systems to embankments and historic waterways.
Lakes and Wetlands
The Reeuwijkse Plassen bring light and openness to the route, with broad stretches of water, reed beds and narrow strips of land. Small marinas and quiet shores create constantly changing views across this water rich landscape.
Rivers and Streams
Canals, drainage channels and boezem waters form the network that has kept this region dry and liveable for centuries. Locks, bridges and embankments reveal the close relationship between water management and the landscape.
Virtual Cycling Through the Krimpenerwaard and the Reeuwijkse Plassen
Experience the Krimpenerwaard with its peat meadows, drainage ditches, dikes, windmills, and expansive polder landscapes. The route continues along the Reeuwijkse Plassen, where elongated lakes, reed beds, and historic peatlands showcase the characteristic blend of water, cultural landscapes, and nature.
Experience the route from home with virtual cycling.
Route Map and Cycling Junctions
Start and finish near cycling junction 68 on the Loet in Lekkerkerk. Because this is a circular route, you can also start at one of the other cycling junctions along the route.
Route Details
Along the way: several options for a coffee break or lunch.
Discover More Cycling Routes
Explore more South Holland landscapes and find your next cycling adventure in nature.
EXPLORE ALL CYCLING ROUTES IN SOUTH HOLLAND →
