Sailing Archives - VVV Biesbosch Line

Combine this tour with a walk on the Deeneplaat; an area consisting of willows, shrublands and willow floodplain forests. Characteristic of the Deeneplaat are the vletsloten. Driftwood was transported through these wide ditches with osier hooks. You also encounter valve culverts here. That may sound like a native duck species, but it is not. A valve culvert is an iron tube with a valve that allows water to flow out of the shag at low tide, but not in at high tide.

If you are looking for a route full of variety, this is a must. Because the route goes through narrow creeks and over wider waterways, you will have to deal with currents. Really a trip for the sporty canoeist. You can take a day for this route. You can stop for a picnic on the beaches and to stretch your legs a walk on the Deeneplaat is a must. It is surprisingly beautiful at any time of year, even on cold, gray days. As many as 130 species of plants grow there. Some with wonderful names, such as garlic without garlic, bird's milkweed and giant balsam. The latter is native to the Himalayas and can grow up to three meters tall. Its purple flowers bloom profusely in August.

A lot of Dane (a small species of swan) used to come here. That may explain the name Dane Plate. Nowadays, you encounter mute swans here on their way to the warm south. This is also where the rare root vole is still found. It is the only mammal in the Netherlands that lives in an isolated population. They are mostly active at night.

You can rent a canoe at Jachthaven Van Oversteeg Werkendam or at DOCKS vissershang Hank. Contact the appropriate party for availability and canoe rentals.

This route joins The Fortified Town Route at the aqueduct near Uitwijk. Pay attention at the crossing near the pumping station in Meeuwen. Here you not only have to cross, but also walk a short distance on the road with your canoe/kayak. After 200 meters you can return to the water. Water pumping station Hagoort is also an interesting stop to take a closer look. This pumping station takes care of maintaining the water level in the polder land behind it.

Parallel to the Bergsche Maas runs the North drainage canal. That's where this tour begins, near De Peerenboomse Haven. The round trip skims and crosses the villages of Dussen, Meeuwen and Babyloniënbroek. It is a fairly open route, straight through the polders of Brabant. Do you know the area from a hiking or biking trail? Then you will be surprised by this tour, because you will come across places that are otherwise hidden from you. Characteristic are the beautiful views. Sometimes literally between the legs of grazing cattle. Almost this was a 'forgotten' route, but fortunately rediscovered in time! It is a gem of a route that should definitely not be missed in your itinerary planning!

Please note that you cannot rent canoes on this route and we unfortunately do not deliver canoes to location. Don't own your own canoe? Then choose a route that starts at a point where you can rent canoes:Jachthaven Van Oversteeg in Werkendam or DOCKS vissershang in Hank. Contact the relevant party for availability and canoe rental.

Overview of all our routes in the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie

This map of the Noordwaard shows the waterways with numbers. You can map out your own route along these nodes.

The Noordwaard is a flow-through area. Water levels are subject to the influx of river water. At high tide, the designated fields flood and the current will be stronger. It is then advisable to choose calmer waters.

The Noordwaard is a special area that has looked very different over the centuries. From countryside full of small hamlets, to inland sea after the Sint Elisabethflood of 1421. And then, via reclaimed land, to flood plain to make room for the river.

Here you can seek the silence and enjoy from the water, for example, a herd of grazing water buffalo or a fishing kingfisher. The creeks meander through the landscape, making the view surprisingly different each time.

You are not out of here just like that, as there are about thirty kilometers of boating route in this area and you do not need to be an experienced canoer to explore here. Just keep in mind that there is no canoe landing stage at the starting point. This may make it a little difficult to get on the water.

You can rent a canoe at Fort Bakkerskil in Nieuwendijk, Jachthaven Van Oversteeg in Werkendam or at DOCKS vissershang Hank. Contact the respective party for availability and canoe rental.

The Gijster is one of three reservoirs in the Biesbosch.

Water from the Meuse River is stored here. It is used for drinking water and for industry.

You need experience to sail this route. You will sail much of the route on the Amer River, where you will encounter commercial shipping.

The great thing about this route is that you paddle through narrow creeks just a few miles away, where beavers may cross your path. The water here is so clear that you can see the fish swimming next to your canoe. In the narrowest creeks, it is sometimes navigating over and between logs and overhanging branches. This only adds to the contrast with boating on the river and makes the trip more adventurous.

In the Ditch of St. John you pass under the Little Bridge of St. John. When at the end of WW2 the south of the Netherlands was liberated, but not yet the north, this little bridge played an important role. The occupiers used the bridge to go from south to north, and refugees went south instead. They were helped by the line-crossers who knew the area like the back of their hand.

The resistance intercepted many Germans near the little bridge. The line-crosser Piet van den Hoek (? 2015) from Werkendam was awarded the Willemsorde for his part in the resistance with the Partisans of the Biesbosch unit. A round of Gijster is a route full of contrasts and that is precisely what makes this ride so special.

Note: If you come with your own canoe or sup, please start from the canoe pier in front of the parking lot of Marina Vissershang. No need to climb the stairs.

You can rent a canoe at Jachthaven Van Oversteeg Werkendam or at DOCKS vissershang Hank. Contact the appropriate party for availability and canoe rentals.

The round trip around Almkerk is 12 km of sailing, but if you really don't want to miss anything, take the route to Giessen as well and sail from fort to fort!

The route on the Alm passes notable heritage and lies between Fort Altena and Fort Giessen. At the triangle of waters, near the picturesque village of Uitwijk, you pass an aqueduct. This, now a municipal monument, was built in the 1960s to separate two catchment areas. A boat crossing was installed here, as was also done north of Fort Altena near Uppel. A boat transfer was used to hoist a maintenance boat over the weir. You don't need something like this for your canoe, but it is special to encounter a rare landscape feature like this no less than twice on this trip.

Back to the aqueduct: at this junction it's all about which way you want to go. You lift your canoe into the right channel and continue your route. The route largely follows the Alm River, which branches off from the Waal in Roman times.

Roman artifacts were recovered on the stream ridge. From the Middle Ages on, the Alm was a tributary of the Meuse. Today, the Alm is no longer in direct connection with the major rivers.

You start at Fort Altena and can sail right through the polder to near Fort Giessen. Both forts are part of the New Dutch Waterline; an 85 kilometer long line with 45 forts, 6 fortresses and 2 castles. It is the largest national monument in the Netherlands which also includes Fort Steurgat, Fort Bakkerskil, Slot Loevestein, Fort Vuren and the fortified towns of Woudrichem and Gorinchem.

You are welcome to visit the brasserie on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 am to 5 pm.

Overview of all our routes in the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie

The Doolhof is a willow flood forest in the heart of the Biesbosch. It can only be reached by water. In winter you imagine yourself in a mysterious swamp.

A willow floodplain forest -such as the Doolhof- is rare not only in the Netherlands, but throughout Europe. They are the result of naturalization of a willow from which wood was chopped and processed into, for example, stems for tools or made into zinc pieces that were sunk to prevent erosion of dikes. For the latter, mainly brushwood was used; the toes and twigs of willow.

You could leave your canoe for a walk through the willow floodplain forest, but be careful not to get lost. The place is rough and soggy. The dark pools have the smell of rotting tree stumps. Here you are in the grienden of death. A rugged piece of Biesbosch where nature rules. But, oh, how beautiful it is here! Irises, balsam, mosses, ferns, mushrooms, herbs. You'll feast your eyes. In this area you might just run into a fox, or a spoonbill, while deer and rats also sniff around.

Bird lovers enjoy coming here as much as the merry whistlers themselves. Within the Biesboch, this is a unique piece of nature that you can explore at your leisure, and the Maze Route goes mostly through narrow creeks. Feel free to reserve a day for the entire route and hike, as there is plenty to see and the area deserves to be taken quietly. If only because you have an even better chance of spotting a rare bird or encountering a beaver.

Note: If you come with your own canoe or sup, please start from the canoe pier in front of the parking lot. No need to climb the stairs.

You can rent a canoe at Jachthaven Van Oversteeg Werkendam or at DOCKS vissershang Hank. Contact the appropriate party for availability and canoe rentals.

This tour is recommended if map-reading is not your strongest suit. Getting lost is impossible while experiencing the ultimate get-away-from-it-all feeling.

If you don't have much canoeing experience yet, this round trip is really for you. You can paddle quietly and easily spend half a day on the road. You start at Fort Bakkerskil and while paddling between reeds and a nostalgic hand-pull ferry you head south. You pass islands, hamlets, meadows and a jungle-like ditch in one of the Bakkerskil's tributaries. Don't let overhanging branches stop you here, but sail under the overgrown bridge until you reach the wickerworkers' hut. This spot is the icing on the cake. Such spooky and quiet spots should be looked for with a lantern, but we are happy to reveal this one. Here you can stretch your legs and rest.

The out-and-back on the Bakkerskil is a beautiful route for true nature lovers. Although the little stream flows through the Oostwaardpolder, here too you experience the Brabant jungle. Be sure to make the trips into the dead arms marked on the map. The one halfway along the route brings you to a fairytale spot where you can also moor and picnic in peace.

You can rent a canoe at Jachthaven Van Oversteeg Werkendam or at DOCKS vissershang Hank. Contact the appropriate party for availability and canoe rentals.

Overview of all our routes in the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie

You cruise in an area full of winding creeks and nice sandy beaches. It is highly recommended for novice canoeists.

The Aakvlaai is a relatively new recreational area on the edge of the Biesbosch. It was constructed at the end of the last century for the purpose of water sports. Because the Aakvlaai is directly adjacent to the Biesbosch, you may encounter a beaver or large water birds such as spoonbills and egrets.

Although the route does not have many miles, you can easily spend a day in the Barge Bay. If you want to take a break, find a quiet spot on a beach. You can also, in combination with your cruise, take a walk in the area. Without getting lost, you can easily deviate from the route here. You will always end up at a point you recognize. Striking points include the cooling towers of the Amer power plant located on the opposite side of the river, the remains of De Steen farm at Kloosteroord and the wreck of a tjalk. In the Aakvlaai, nature is given free rein, so that the flora and fauna in the area provide variety every season and a cruise is surprising every time.

The wreck of the tjalk at the entrance to the Aakvlaai is largely overgrown. The ship is 20 meters long and used to ship reeds, rushes and willow wood. According to tradition, the tjalk ended up at this location when it was used to fill a hole in the dike. The ship was found during the construction of the Aakvlaai.

Note: If you come with your own canoe or sup, please start from the canoe pier in front of the parking lot. No need to climb the stairs.

You can rent a canoe Jachthaven Van Oversteeg in Werkendam or at DOCKS vissershang Hank. Contact the respective party for availability and canoe rental.

The Walking & Boating Route is a tour that takes you into two fortified towns and into two provinces. You will visit Woudrichem in North Brabant and Gorinchem located in South Holland. These two fortified towns have been connected throughout the centuries. Despite the wide Merwede that separates the cities. Or perhaps thanks to that river.

Woudrichem and Gorinchem are part of both the Old and New Dutch Waterline. In these towns it is almost impossible to get lost. So feel free to deviate from the route over the city walls and wander through the idyllic streets where time seems to have stood still. Then find the ramparts again to continue your route.

As a counterpart to the urban, on this route we also take you across the Groesplaat, a floodplain between Sleeuwijk and Oudendijk. At high tide, these floodplains fill up and give space to the river. If you encounter high water during this walk, walk between node 57 and 67 on the dike.

As icing on the cake, you cross the Merwede River twice during this trip. The sailing is an experience in itself, because the ferry does not go straight back and forth, but has to go downstream up the river to take you across.

For the current sailing schedule, visit: www.riveer.nl

Starting point Gorinchem: Buiten de Waterpoort, Gorinchem

Starting point Sleeuwijk: Hoekeinde 24, 4254 LN Sleeuwijk

Starting point Woudrichem: Waterpoort, Woudrichem

Start near the embarkation and disembarkation points of the ferries. We recommend the many restaurants and cafes in Woudrichem and Gorinchem. If you come by car, pay attention, because in Gorinchem you have to pay parking fees. In Woudrichem you can park freely and parking Schapendam is recommended. In Sleeuwijk, Restaurant Boven de Rivieren is a nice starting point where you can also park freely.

Actually, this is a pampering route for all the senses! You enjoy the silence of nature and the bustle of the city. You feel the wind through your hair on the water and it all tastes like more!

Overview of all our routes in the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie