Past locks and forts

(42.0 km)

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Everywhere are forts, trenches, dykes, sluices, canals, casemates and group shelters to surprise you. Together these elements form an ingenious system that protected the Netherlands from hostile troops. Inundating the countryside with fifty centimetres of water made it impassable for soldiers, while still too shallow to use boats. Care to cycle through this utterly Dutch defence system from the 19th and 20th century?

Take a look

Sights on this route

Starting point: TOP Stadshaven Wijk bij Duurstede
Havenweg 1
3961 MA Wijk bij Duurstede

TOP City harbour Wijk bij Duurstede

Inundation lock at Wijk bij Duurstede

In 1870, the Kromme Rijn was given a key role in the New Dutch Waterline. Back then, it took almost a month to flood the area around Utrecht. This had to be speeded up. To this end, the river was widened,...

TOP Kersenpracht Cothen

Kersenmuseum (cherry museum)

Cherry growing plays an important role in the heart of the Kromme Rijn region, and it is here you will find the Kersenmuseum (cherry museum) at Theo and Martine Vernooy's fruit farm.

Lock at Cothen

The water board uses the dam in the Kromme Rijn in Cothen to regulate the flow of water to and from Utrecht. The monumental lock alongside it (from 1865) was used during wartime to move ships past the...

Werk aan de Waalse Wetering

This defence work was built in 1875–1878 and comprises a bomb-proof outbuilding and a guardhouse. In emergencies, it could harbour as many as 95 men. The fort is freely accessible and...

Fort Lunet aan de Snel

Somewhat hidden in the woods along Gedekte Gemeenschapsweg between Fort Honswijk and Werk aan de Korte Uitweg is the small but atmospheric Lunet aan de Snel. The earthen rampart allowed defenders to...

Blokhoven inundation area

The Blokhoven polder flood plain is situated behind the Achterdijk in Schalkwijk. During heavy rainfall, it can collect up to 23,000 m3 of water to prevent Schalkwijk from being flooded. This volume...

Fort Honswijk

Fort Honswijk, situated on the Lek River, is one of the most prominent forts of the New Dutch Waterline. Fort Honswijk's tower (built between 1841 and 1848) is the oldest and largest in the Waterlinie and possesses singular architectural beauty.

Fort Werk aan de Groeneweg

Walking through the historic trenches of Werk aan de Groeneweg is like a walk back in time. The defence structure still has its original configuration.