You find them scattered throughout Altena: Small concrete buildings with a roof in the shape of a flattened pyramid. They sometimes stand in unexpected places: in the middle of an orchard or an allotment. Others look out lonely over the water. What are these structures and why are they here?
The blocks of concrete are officially called "Group Shelter Type P." From November 1939 to April 1940, they were built by Dutch Defense Forces on the edge of the inundation fields of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie. They served as a shelter for 12 soldiers, but were ultimately never used for this purpose.
So the group shelters were built by the Dutch. Therefore, they should not officially be called a bunker, because bunkers are German structures. A folktale tells that the materials for them were bought in Germany.
If you take a closer look at the Type P shelters in the Biesbosch Line, you notice 2 things: they often stand on concrete legs and the roofs are covered with hooks.
To begin with the hooks: they were for hanging beams and branches. These were used to hold the earthen cover in place. This cover served as camouflage and additional armor.
The legs were not originally visible. Over the past 80 years, the ground level has dropped in many places due to de-poldering. As a result, the piles have become exposed. You can clearly see from the casemates how far the ground has subsided.
Most of the casemates still stand firmly on their legs. A few, as in Werkendam, have lost their balance.
The New Dutch Waterline runs right through the Biesbosch Line. From Woudrichem to Werkendam, the casemates lie like a chain through the landscape.
Would you like to visit the casemates? On our walking route Rondje Fort Altena (±12,5 km) you will come across several of them. A shorter route is also available at the fort.
Prefer biking? You can too! Cycle from Fort Altena via De Schans to Werkendam, or meander through the polder in a northeasterly direction to Woudrichem. And those with real cycling legs can do both.
Of the total 700 Type P's along the entire waterline, about 550 have survived, several dozen of which are in the Biesbosch Line. If you look around carefully on your wanderings through Altena, that large number is quite extraordinary. You will see that the shelters are sometimes terribly in the way. Nor are they a calling card for "Dutch Design"; they can rightly be called concrete blocks.
One of the reasons so many of the group shelters are still standing is that they were supposed to provide protection from mortars and shells. That would certainly have succeeded had it ever come to that. When attempts were made to demolish them after the war, it proved no easy task. It took many kilos of explosives to collapse the thick walls. Fortunately, because in this way a piece of Dutch history remained intact.
So if you can't beat them, join them, became the motto. Many of the shelters have found alternative uses: from sheep sheds to hibernation sites for bats.
By now, most of the shelters are protected. This is true at least of those between Fort Altena and Woudrichem. They belong to the forts, which are national monuments.
The Koepelkazemat in Werkendam located a stone's throw from Fort Altena is one of the "bunkers" that have found a new use. The original shooting dome was already removed during World War II, but has been replaced by a new dome. From this dome only pictures may be shot: it is a bird-watching shelter!
In addition to a historical and tourist function, the casemates also have an ecological function. Bats soon discovered the bunkers as an ideal hibernation place.
To allow these animals to sleep undisturbed, some of the shelters are equipped with a door with a "mailbox. People can't get in, but the bats can get out. In these Type-Ps, you'll also often find a layer of wet sand on the floor. Bats like moist environments, and the sand helps with that.
In addition, the concrete is also a good substrate for mosses and lichens. Sometimes as many as 15 species of moss grow on 1 bunker!
The Pyramids in the Polder Foundation has photographed and mapped all still existing Type P group shelters. On their website you will find an interactive map that lists all the casemates with historical and technical information. The foundation also expects to release their book "Pyramids in the Polder" during 2020.
On her voyage of discovery through the Biesbosch Line, Lotte visits a number of casemates in addition to a windmill. Experience it with her in episode 1 of 'Lotte discovers the Biesbosch Line'.
Our heartfelt thanks go to Hannie Visser-Kieboom - journalist, guide at Fort Altena and Water Board member - for her information on the group shelters in the region.
Thanks to Eddie Poppe of the Pyramids in the Polder Foundation for permission to use the survey map.
Did you know that the Biesbosch Line is a wonderful place for a few days away? Ideal for a break from the drudgery of home and to take your mind off things. There is plenty to see and do to enjoy a long weekend or midweek in a beautiful part of North Brabant.
De Biesbosch is of course obvious if you want to get out into nature in the Biesbosch Line. But actually that is just the beginning of all the beautiful nature in Altena. The entire island is actually one big patchwork quilt of natural areas. Most are connected by water. A beautiful piece of nature, for example, is the Pompveld.
De Biesbosch and the land of Altena are known for their watery nature. Rivers and countless creeks and streams rule the green landscape. Artist Paul de Kort has depicted the interplay of man, nature and water in natural artwork De Wassende Maan(location). The artwork changes with the tide, and thus always has a different appearance.
Tired of walking, hot on your bike? Learn more about local crafts at the Clogmaker, at the Fisheries Museum or at one of the many mills in the area. After a long day, relax on a terrace and enjoy local specialties such as a Woerkum beer. Then crawl between the fresh sheets in one of the many accommodation options in the area. How about sleeping in a real casemate? At Brasserie Zus you can!
Traveling far, going out in another region: it's not wise for a while yet. But do you live in the Biesbosch Line? How lucky! Peace, space, and plenty of opportunity to get some fresh air. Go exploring in your own area with these hiking and biking routes.
A 7-kilometer walking route through Uitwijk, Rijswijk and Giessen. Picking in the Almbos is allowed! Along the way you'll pass Fort Giessen, the southernmost fort of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie.
Download the walking route as PDF
A 28 km bicycle route past authentic farms, monumental church towers and, of course, works of art that pay homage to Marianne Vos. Still have energy left? At nature reserve the Pompveld you can get off for a 6 km walking route.
Download the cycling route as PDF
20 kilometers of brisk walking past monumental mills, Fort Altena and Fort Bakkerskil. After this walk, you are guaranteed to return home blown out and relaxed.
Download the walking route as PDF
A delightful 30-kilometer bike ride past distinctive farms, sprawling fields and stalls selling chock-fresh produce.
Download the cycle route as PDF
A round trip over the dikes of the Biesbosch Line. During this 60 km bicycle tour you have views over the Merwede, the Maas, the Heusdens Kanaal and the Bergse Maas. You will also cycle along 2 creeks in the Biesbosch: the Jeppegat and the Steurgat.
Download the cycle route as PDF
A walking route that takes you from Fort Altena through the polders near Werkendam and along the Upper Merwede. 10 kilometers of walking in a vast watery landscape, fresh nose guaranteed!
Download the walking route as PDF
Then check out the other hiking and biking routes the tourist office put together for you. And did you literally get hungry? Then buy a delicious picnic locally, and support the entrepreneurs in the area.
The corona crisis affects us, as a country, as a province, as individuals. Only together can we inhibit the virus, only together can we care for each other. Therefore Beleef Altena launches together with VVV Biesbosch Line: #kooplokaalaltena
Did you know that lots of business owners in Altena are working through? Piece by piece they have found creative solutions to offer their services in a safe way even in times of social distancing. Hospitality establishments are turning into drive-in or pick-up locations, and all kinds of products are being shipped or even delivered to your home - from books to daily groceries.
Our entrepreneurs are a great support to the residents of Altena. Vulnerable people or people in isolation no longer have to go out for their necessities. But they also help their fellow entrepreneurs, for example by taking over inventory. Where the World Shop thought it would be stuck with its stock of Easter eggs, Akkers van Altena now delivers them home with the rest of your groceries.
Let us also help our entrepreneurs through these difficult times. Reading material? Aunt Bethje will gladly bring you your new book. Hungry? Find out what De Heerlijckheid or the Koppelpaarden have on the takeout menu!
Help each other, support each other - then through social distancing we will come closer together. For the full list of local stores, visit Experience Altena.
Since August 2021, the Biesbosch Line may call itself the home of world heritage. The Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie was nominated for Unesco World Heritage status. The status has been granted and from now on we join such luminaries as the Taj Mahal, the Pyramids at Giza and the Tower of Pisa.
World Heritage is heritage that is of unique and universal value to humanity. There is tangible and intangible world heritage. Intangible heritage includes the tango, for example, or closer to home: the miller's craft. Material heritage is divided into cultural (man-made) and natural. Natural heritage is, for example, the Yellowstone National Park in America. The Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie falls under cultural heritage.
What all these things have in common is that we regard them as irreplaceable, unique and owned by the whole world. And therefore we consider it of great importance to preserve them.
The New Dutch Waterline is a unique defense system. It is a strip of land, from Muiden to the Biesbosch, that can be flooded. In earlier times, this layer of water protected the wealthy province of Holland from invaders; it was too deep to wade through, but not deep enough to navigate. On the weak spots in the line came forts and fortresses.
The Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie can still be used, although it is no longer an effective defensive structure. But the vast majority of the forts and locks are still intact, and many of them can be visited. You can even stay overnight in a single fort these days.
At the end of December 2019, the National Heritage Agency delivered a report of more than 2,500 pages to Unesco in Paris. And after more than 10 years of work, that's it!
It's a hefty report, and for a reason; the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie runs through four provinces, and the land is owned by dozens of landowners. Now that the line has been declared a world heritage site, the Netherlands must be able to preserve that heritage. The approach to this and the agreements about it, are laid down in this report.
In the Biesbosch Line you will find 4 forts, 2 locks, several casemates and one fortified town of the New Dutch Waterline. And can't get enough of all this beauty? The Waterlinie path takes you along the entire line. Also be sure to visit the Waterlinie Museum. The Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie is definitely worth a visit.
On the edge of National Park De Biesbosch lies the southernmost fort of the New Dutch Waterline. Here, at Fort Bakkerskil you will be immersed in the days of yore with the luxuries of today.
Host and hostess Marco and Hanny run this special B&B with passion and respect for its so special heritage. "In the B&B you can always go. Because we want as many people as possible to enjoy this beautiful location, we are open every weekend and in the summer months daily for a drink and something tasty or a delicious lunch."
The partially covered terrace on the fortified town grounds is the perfect place to take a break. If you want to explore the surroundings, you can rent an electric bicycle here. Using a free cycling map, you can map out an interesting route through the Biesbosch Line.
Sleeping in the fortified town is a real experience. For example, you spend the night in the former powder room, the officer's quarters or the infirmary. Anyone who has been here once will keep coming back!
Fort Bakkerskil
Kildijk 143, Nieuwendijk
Fortbakkerskil.nl
Join Bart Pörtzgen, forester with Brabants Landschap. He tells you in this blog why the nature of Altena is the most beautiful in the Netherlands. Does this blog taste like more? Follow him on Facebook or on Twitter for beautiful nature photos, and read along with the adventures of the forester of Altena.
So, that's out. I know, of course, that many people are now beginning to sputter and disagree. I would like to invite those people to come with me sometime, into the nature of Altena. For I am convinced that you can learn to see this.
I take you for a walk from the new parking lot at the Pompveld, on the Lage Oldersdijk. We look directly over a wet piece of nature, with unusual structure. Every seven meters there is a ditch, just as they were before the land consolidation, in the late 1960s. They weren't crazy in the old days! In the lowest part of our island, good water management is needed.
The ditches are home to a mysterious animal. A slimy creature that can survive in an environment devoid of oxygen. Ugly actually, but beautiful because it is so special: The Great Mud Creeper. Never heard of it? Wereal then? That's what it's popularly called. Farmers used to catch this fish as a weather eel. In the wake-up jar in the window frame, it indicated the weather forecast. He creature is now European protected because of its limited occurrence.
We walk under some monumental poplars, which bring us to my secret spot, which I could no longer keep to myself. An old duck decoy. Now a colony of Blue Herons breeds there, but thousands of ducks used to be caught here every year.
Because of drainage in the surrounding area, Pompveld is higher and we have to pump water to keep this wetland wetland wet. The water is filtered through a beautiful natural system of reeds, where Bittern and Reed Warbler can be heard. We see one of the 11 weirs that regulate the various levels. Fully automated and controllable, by this forester, from a computer screen. Next to the steel weir, you see a basin. This is a fish passage, providing effortless dispersal of the Mud Creeper.
Walking further, you immediately see the effect of the weir: the entire land is under water! Through a combination of excavation and raising the water level, this area is under water for large parts of the year. Common plant species such as grasses cannot tolerate this. This gives room for unusual plants such as the Rattler, orchids and Swampartleaf. In summer, you can enjoy a wide range of colors from all the beautiful flowers here.
Through the open landscape, with a breeze in our faces, we continue walking toward a chopped willow: a field of willows. Every three years the willows are cut down, the wood used in water construction as in the past. What remains are the beautiful trunks, overgrown with oak fern and all sorts of mosses. The many holes and crevices provide space for birds to nest, such as the Tawny Owl who can fly right into your face if you look curiously into a hole.
In the ditch along the hiking trail grows the Aloe Vera of the wetlands: Crabberry. An unusual aquatic plant that tells you the water is of good quality. Through specialized ditch management, we ensure the preservation of this floating cactus.
We continue walking along the new trail, back to the parking lot. At the alder grove we come across, we have to look up, as a pair of buzzards has been breeding here for years!
On the walking path next to the newly planted grove, I already saw a few deer regularly, see the tracks in the ditch side?
Resting on the bench is kind of nice after this hike. Just thinking about what we have seen. What we didn't see, but what does occur in this beautiful nature. How special nature is.
Beautiful is nature in Altena isn't it!
