Giessenburg, Hoornaar, Gorinchem

Just outside the Randstad you will find the pure Dutch landscape with green meadows, windmills, meandering rivers and historic farms, which used to be known as Het Land der Zes Molens. That 'land' consisted of five polders near Hoornaar, which were merged into one of the largest polders in the Netherlands.

There were six mills scattered throughout this polder. Two of those mills remain today. These mills were seesaw mills; an older version of the polder mill. Polder mills are mills that move water from a lower level to a higher level. Polder mills are also called water mills, but that creates confusion with that the mill is driven by a water wheel.

During this route, you will get to know the polder Land of the Six Mills very well. You will pass the two remaining seesaw mills. You will also pass the places where the other four mills stood. The Windasmolen stood a few kilometres before the Scheiwijkse Molen on the Schelluinse Vliet. Today, a house stands there. A little further on, at the corner, the Kleine and Grote Wielmolen stood close together. To its right used to be the Essemolen, surrounded by the Giessen.

One of the characteristics of a polder landscape is wide openness with few buildings, which is exactly what you will encounter on this route; wide open spaces, meadows, ditches and lots of nature. And you pass through the historic village of Hoornaar, the core of the Land of the Six Mills.

Besides Hoornaar, you also pass through the village of Giessenburg which, like Hoornaar, belongs to the municipality of Molenlanden. The village is situated on the small river Giessen, which you will also pass on this route. Want the ultimate polder feeling? Then hop on the ferry, because sailing is a must in this polder!

Note: this route includes two ferries, check the current times on the Riveer website. If the ferry does not sail, you can continue directly from junction 51 to 52 and cross the bridge there. If both ferries do not run, you can go from junction 52 to junction 23 instead of crossing the bridge.