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

This hike has the parking lot of Fort Giessen as its starting point. Fort Giessen is another gem of the New Dutch Waterline. Should it be open, let the guides tell you about the history of the fort and its surroundings or let the people of nature association Altenatuur give you information.

We walk down the road with the fort at our backs and turn right into Burgstraat. Even before the first bend, we take the loam footpath on the left with pollarded willows on both sides. We walk parallel to the little river Alm, which we can occasionally see. After a while the path turns into a paved road, the Karbogerd, which we continue to follow. After the long right turn, over the bridge but before the sports fields, we turn left into the hiking path that takes us through the Almbos. We keep following this path and via 92 (there are the nodes again) we walk to 06. There we turn right towards 04 at the traffic circle. We cross the traffic circle straight over and follow the Rijswijksesteeg which becomes the Dorpsstraat. In the bend we turn left onto the Stoep. Now we have to search a bit: we cross the dike and to the right behind the church we find a cart track going down. We cross the water and immediately turn left. We keep following this path, with the water on our left, and at the very end we clamber up the dike. We take a breather from the climb and turn right. On the paved path on the dike we continue walking, with views of the river on the left and farmland on the right. The path is adorned by a motley bouquet of wildflowers and, with the wind in our hair, we fully enjoy it. We walk straight through 01 and 29 to 26. There we turn right along the Provincial road towards 18 and 27, where we descend the stairs to the right towards 08. We are surprised by the sweet winding path with fruit trees along it. At the church at the end of this path we end up back in the village center. Via 91 and 19 we arrive at the starting point, junction 14, Fort Giessen. Tip if you still have time and energy: take a look at the experience park at the fort dedicated to World War I or walk around the fort again.

Overview of all our routes in the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie

We start at Fort Bakkerskil (Kildijk 143 in Nieuwendijk), a unique bed & breakfast with a nice terrace and situated on the edge of National Park De Biesbosch. The fort is part of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie and a little further on is the Papsluis from 1815, an inlet that could flood the land when threatened.

We walk a short distance over the dike towards 13 to descend (through a gate) towards 15. This walk is part of a route set out by farmers called 'Oostwaardpad'.

A beautiful initiative where proud farmers make their field edges available to hikers. Along the way we also come across reference and information boards. Very handy when we sometimes miss the arrows of the junction network! Having arrived at 15 we turn left in the direction of 11. On the left we see the Papsluis lock. An imposing structure and we can imagine how important this lock was in the strategic plan of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie. We walk along the small river Bakkerskil, sometimes along a field, sometimes through a small forest.

After 11, we follow the signs to 85, where there is a tow ferry to the other side. Although we stay on this side of the water, we try the ferry to take a few photos. From 85 we walk to 84 (the route can also be extended to 83 here) and keep right towards 10. We enjoy the typical Dutch polder landscape with, depending on the month, views of sugar beets, onions and potatoes. We follow 17. Crossing the fields is quite tough here and there. Heading toward 15, the route is a nice variety of groves and vistas. The shade of the trees provides coolness in summer and makes us curious about the rest. Again we walk in a straight line along arable land, with a right angle turn to the left at the end. After 17 we walk back via 15 and 13 and are back at Fort Bakkerskil where we enjoy a well-deserved cup of coffee and goodies. Have fun!

Dogs are not allowed on this route due to crossing farmland. The summer terrace at Fort Bakkerskil is open all week from May through September from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. for coffee and pastries. From Thursday through Sunday, you can also have lunch there. Please note, in heavy rain, the unpaved paths are muddy. So put on good shoes/boots.

Overview of all our routes in the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie