About this activity
Wormerland Heritage Cycle Route: 26 kilometres of rich history by bike
This 26-kilometre cycle route through Wormerland is a true journey of discovery, taking you past trading warehouses, windmills, churches and distinctive village scenes that together tell the story of a region that once fed the world. You start and finish at Grand Café Batavia in Wormer, a listed building that is well worth a visit in its own right.
As you cycle past the Zaan Bridge, you’ll see an impressive industrial façade of warehouses and husking mills dating from around 1900, bearing names such as Saigon, Java, Hollandia and Mercurius – named after the exotic places from which the raw materials originated. Further on, you’ll cycle past the aeroplane monument near Jisp, the picturesque village of Jisp itself with its unique roadside ditch, the town hall and the oldest cottage dating from 1656, and the characteristic thatched farmhouses and windmills that characterise the landscape. On your right-hand side, almost the entire route runs alongside the Polder Wormer, Jisp and Neck nature reserve — a paradise for meadow birds such as the black-tailed godwit, lapwing and spoonbill.
For a bite to eat along the way, there are several cosy eateries along the route. The route can be downloaded as a GPX file and takes around 2 hours by bike. A delightful and surprisingly informative day out for anyone who really wants to get to know the Zaan region.
DOEdeal!