Water hub along the Regge - Hellendoorn

This is not only a cycling, but also a water junction. The Regge meets the Overijsselsch Kanaal here, a remnant of the days when transport by water was an economic necessity. The canal has lost that function and fallen into disuse. The Regge, too, is now only of scenic and natural interest. No longer do rough skippers sail there with special flatboats ('zompen') to transport all kinds of merchandise to the surrounding villages and towns. A few zomps are still in operation, but only for tourist cruises.

OK, so that water junction. The little river crosses the canal, with a weir in between to regulate the water level. This is necessary for both agriculture and nature. Farmers benefit from ground that is not too wet, nature managers don't want it too dry here. Add a fish ladder and this is a very dynamic point, comparable to the cloverleafs of motorways. The fish ladder allows fish to bridge the Regge's level difference caused by the weir in their own time.

Along almost the entire course of the Regge, the small river has regained its natural winding pattern. Once, the bends were cut off for the sake of more efficient shipping. In addition, the banks have been made flatter, benefiting the ecosystem. Those bends and banks were sometimes dug with heavy equipment from road and hydraulic engineering, but that is a side issue. What matters is that the Regge has begun a second life. In those newly dug bends and along those landscaped banks, hotbeds of natural life are emerging. These mini-natural areas within the bigger picture of the Natura 2000 chain are hugely important. For example, for the meadow damselfly, a small dragonfly species that makes everyone happy.