Birdwatching trail in Wormer

Schaalsmeerpolder walking route; birdwatching in Western Europe’s largest area of peat meadow The Wormer- and Jisperveld is the largest contiguous area of peat meadow in Western Europe, and this walking route through the Schaalsmeerpolder allows you to enjoy it to the full. In 1.5 hours, you’ll walk 4.4 kilometres through a landscape of hundreds of small meadows surrounded by rustling reed beds and narrow ditches, with birds all around you. In spring, you can hear the calls of the black-tailed godwit and the area is teeming with breeding meadow birds. The route starts at De Poelboerderij in Wormer, runs alongside the River Zaan and across the Wormerringdijk, and takes you through the polder, which lies a full one to two metres below sea level. Small water mills keep the area dry. The route is signposted with green arrows and can be downloaded free of charge as a PDF or GPX file. Dogs are welcome, provided they are kept on a lead on the paths. A wonderfully peaceful outing for anyone who wants to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city for a while.