The Fortified Town Triangle: one day, five places, three provinces

An active day of soaking up culture? Visit the Vesting Triangle! The Vesting Triangle is the area between the fortresses of Gorinchem, Woudrichem, Zaltbommel, Slot Loevestein and Fort Vuren. Grab your bike, hop on the ferry, and your adventure can begin!

Ferry and foot ferry

All locations in the fortified town triangle are connected by water. Take the Riveer ferries across the Maas, Waal, Linge and Merwede rivers from fortified town to fortified town to fortified town. In high season, you get on almost every half hour, and your bike can come along for free. Missed a boat? The water cab is waiting for you, or take the foot ferry: a small boat especially for walkers. It takes you from Woudrichem to Slot Loevestein and back again.

Woudrichem

A picturesque fortified town, where history is still very much alive. Take a walking tour on your own, or let a city guide tell you all about its rich history.

Gorinchem

Gorinchem is the largest fortified city whose ramparts are still complete. Take a walk along the ramparts, past the Dalempoort, cannons and windmills. But also be sure to visit the bustling city center!

Fort Vuren

This Tower Fort was built in 1845, as part of the New Dutch Waterline. The fort was recently fully restored, and has since been used as a catering and accommodation facility. Guided tours are available by appointment.

Tip: Inside the fort, visit WWII & Airmen Museum. This museum is part of the Route Second World War: Honoring Allied Airmen Lingewaal.

Slot Loevestein

The famous castle from which Hugo the Great escaped. With your personal key you will learn all about the Castle, its history and inhabitants.

Zaltbommel

Zaltbommel is also worth a visit. Wander through the center, visit the St. Maartenskerk or the Stadskasteel. In this museum, be sure not to miss the exhibition on Fiep Westendorp: the famous illustrator of Jip, Janneke, Otje, Pluk van de Pettenflat and Pim & Pom.

You can rent a (electric) bicycle from various rental locations. Contact the relevant party for availability and bike rental.

Scavenger hunt Woudrichem (running time 1.5 hours - 2 km)

Welcome to Woudrichem, or as the people here call it: Woerkum. Tie your laces, loosen your muscles, take a deep breath, shoulders straight, chin up and ... sleuthing away!

Don't know an answer? Then ask someone you meet on the street for help. You might just hear an exciting story from a real Woerkumer! Good luck and have fun while searching for the answers!

Overview of all our routes in the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie

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

A beautiful Sunday morning, beautiful cloudy sky and a nice walk ahead, we are ready for it! From the parking lot at the Janus Baks Bastion we walk along the little harbor and turn left at 62, up the Schapendam, enjoying the Woerkum skyline (the windmill and Martinus church) out of Woudrichem over the Hoge Maasdijk. At the end left again at 67, up the Maasdijk. Tip: descend the dike and walk along the river side, a lot nicer and quieter (you miss 60 but can continue to node 02). We have a view of the river the whole way and see cattle and konik horses paddling on the opposite side (Munnikenland). At 02 we climb the dike again and keep left, on the paved path towards 01. We enjoy beautiful views and the wind in our hair. With some regularity we are passed by Sunday morning platoons, recreational cyclists whom we will probably see again at the next terrace. Arriving at 01, we turn left down the dike and walk toward 28. There we walk straight ahead, keeping the houses to our left. At the top we turn left towards the lock. Please note: here the junction system ends and you have to rely on us further. We follow the bike path until we see the brown referral signs to "De Buurman," which we gladly follow. This restaurant is located near the battery of Poederoijen, a lovely place to give your feet a rest (and yes, the cyclists have landed too!). After this pleasant break we take the same road back. However, now not left towards the provincial road but straight ahead. In the right turn we keep left and take the path of Staatsbosbeheer, called 'Poederoijensehoek' (we are shown the way by 2 deer!). At the end of this path we cross (carefully!) the provincial road and take another path of Staatsbosbeheer, this time called 'Boezem van Brakel'. We keep following this beautiful dike path along streams, nut trees, shelters and the Battery under Brakel until we reach the Waal dike, where we turn left. Now pay attention: we follow this path until the 2nd turn left (bicycle path). We follow that path, at the T - junction we turn right to finally turn right again at the next T - junction. We now walk through the 'Waarden bij Loevestein', between the beautiful cattle and konik horses. Enjoying the scenery, we walk on to the entrance bridge to Loevestein Castle, where we take a break on a terrace and enjoy the atmosphere of yesteryear. Whistling, we walk the last bit to the ferry that takes us back to Woudrichem. For current sailing times, check www.voetveerwoudrichem.nl.
A particularly successful walk through the Line Landscape!

Overview of all our routes in the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie