Mermaids, heroes, queens and everyday villagers: everywhere along the boulevards of Noordwijk- and Katwijk aan Zee, statues tell something about the life, present and past of the coastal towns. You might easily pass them by on your bike, but this art route takes a closer look. Welcome Smiling broadly, the extremely colourful and scantily clad mermaid on the pavement in front of the Palace hotel seems to welcome everyone to the tourist area of Noordwijk aan Zee. Her golden locks, pink bikini and blue fin gleaming in the sun. No better starting point for a cycling tour of sculptures and other art by the coast than here. Both along Noordwijk's promenade and in the neighbouring town of Katwijk, you come across accessible and recognisable statues and sculptures everywhere along the sea strip. Some are about special people or events, such as the huge statue of Queen Wilhelmina in Noordwijk, or of a lifeguard pulling a drowning person out of the water. Others depict very ordinary coastal townspeople in their daily activities, such as the net-maker sitting repairing a fishing net, the concentrated artists painting something only they can see and the elderly couple wading carefully through the sea water with their trousers rolled up. Almost all the sculptures you encounter along the way were made by renowned artists who lived and worked here in the area or still do. Like the Hague-based sculptor, ceramist and illustrator Berry Holslag who created the Noordwijk Mermaid and former painter and sculptor Charlotte van Pallandt who designed the large statue of Queen Wilhelmina on the Noordwijk Boulevard. Regional greats Not only by the sea, but also in the towns a little further inland, the route passes some striking works of art. Just outside Wassenaar, for instance, you will read beautiful poems placed in nature and in Valkenburg you will stumble upon a silent statue of two horse traders that tells you about the busy horse market that has been held here for centuries. In Voorhout, a small diversions to the Nagel Bridge is well worth it. Over the bridge, you can see the tall artwork The Kiss, which consists of four mask-like, aluminium silhouettes gently kissing each other. Created by Rijnsburg artist Joop van Egmond, it symbolises the love and connection between the villages of Voorhout, Rijnsburg, Oegstgeest and Noordwijk. The power of art Striking art makes you stop and look, read or listen for a moment. It can detach you from your daily thoughts and offer a new perspective on reality. If all the art on this route has opened your senses, you might also experience the Coepelduinen and Berkheide nature reserves more intensely along the way. Just look at the beautiful shapes of the dune lakes, the symmetry in a spruce, the flowers of a dune rose and the gentle swaying of marram grass stems in the wind: natural art! Note: Along the way, you will encounter a cycle ferry. Check the disembarkation point and the website for more information on the sailing schedule. Do you cycle the route when the ferry does not sail? Then cycle around via junctions 93, 58, 34 (or vice versa from the other direction). This premium cycle route has been compiled by our editor: Wieger Favier.
Directions | Distance | Total distance | |
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Start: De Grent , 2202 EK Noordwijk | 40.2 KM | |
From
47
to
22
|
908 M | 0.9 KM | |
Head southwest on Rudolf Tappenbeckweg | 908 M | ||
You are now at section 22 | 0 M | ||
From
22
to
63
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3245 M | 3.2 KM | |
Head southwest on Koningin Astrid Boulevard | 295 M | ||
Turn right to stay on Koningin Astrid Boulevard | 28 M | ||
Turn right onto Rijwielpad Coepelduynen | 2.8 KM | ||
Continue onto KNRM-pad | 108 M | ||
You are now at section 63 | 0 M | ||
From
63
to
97
|
2171 M | 2.2 KM | |
Head southwest on Buitensluis | 223 M | ||
Turn right onto Rijnmond | 37 M | ||
Continue straight | 584 M | ||
Turn right onto Boulevard | 1.3 KM | ||
You are now at section 97 | 0 M | ||
From
97
to
41
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4955 M | 5 KM | |
Head southwest on Rijwielpad Zuidduinen | 1.4 KM | ||
Continue straight | 3.5 KM | ||
Turn left | 99 M | ||
You are now at section 41 | 0 M | ||
From
41
to
43
|
1868 M | 1.9 KM | |
Head southeast | 1.9 KM | ||
You are now at section 43 | 0 M | ||
From
43
to
47
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1087 M | 1.1 KM | |
Head south on Katwijkseweg | 731 M | ||
Turn right onto Storm van 's-Gravesandeweg | 356 M | ||
You are now at section 47 | 0 M | ||
From
47
to
61
|
645 M | 0.6 KM | |
Head southeast | 8 M | ||
Continue onto Duinrellweg | 200 M | ||
Turn right onto Duinrellweg | 220 M | ||
Turn left onto Schoolstraat | 33 M | ||
Turn right onto Achter de Luifelbaan | 143 M | ||
Turn left onto Van Hogendorpstraat | 41 M | ||
You are now at section 61 | 0 M | ||
From
61
to
48
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2671 M | 2.7 KM | |
Head northeast on Van Hogendorpstraat | 284 M | ||
Turn right onto Oostdorperweg | 289 M | ||
Turn left onto Zonneveldweg | 152 M | ||
Turn right onto Hoge Klei | 242 M | ||
Make a slight left onto Verlengde Hoge Klei | 219 M | ||
Turn right onto Kokshornlaan | 61 M | ||
Turn left | 11 M | ||
Continue onto Oostdorperweg | 920 M | ||
Make a slight right onto Hogeboomseweg | 493 M | ||
You are now at section 48 | 0 M | ||
From
48
to
49
|
1959 M | 2 KM | |
Head northeast | 288 M | ||
Make a slight left | 566 M | ||
Turn right | 901 M | ||
Continue onto Ommedijkseweg | 204 M | ||
You are now at section 49 | 0 M | ||
From
49
to
79
|
902 M | 0.9 KM | |
Head northeast on Ommedijkseweg | 896 M | ||
Turn left onto Haagse Schouwweg | 6 M | ||
You are now at section 79 | 0 M | ||
From
79
to
7
|
179 M | 0.2 KM | |
Head northeast on Haagse Schouwweg | 179 M | ||
You are now at section 07 | 0 M | ||
From
7
to
99
|
1063 M | 1.1 KM | |
Head northwest on Rhijnhofweg | 8 M | ||
Continue onto Rhijnhofweg | 468 M | ||
Continue onto Oude Rhijnhofweg | 587 M | ||
You are now at section 99 | 0 M | ||
From
99
to
10
|
900 M | 0.9 KM | |
Head east | 141 M | ||
Turn right onto Ingenieur G. Tjalmaweg; Ir. G. Tjalmaweg | 435 M | ||
Turn right | 122 M | ||
Turn left onto Voorschoterweg | 202 M | ||
You are now at section 10 | 0 M | ||
From
10
to
87
|
345 M | 0.3 KM | |
Head northwest on Voorschoterweg | 324 M | ||
Make a slight right to stay on Voorschoterweg | 21 M | ||
You are now at section 87 | 0 M | ||
From
87
to
59
|
600 M | 0.6 KM | |
Head northeast on Voorschoterweg | 15 M | ||
Make a slight right to stay on Voorschoterweg | 7 M | ||
Turn left to stay on Voorschoterweg | 578 M | ||
You are now at section 59 | 0 M | ||
From
59
to
89
|
291 M | 0.3 KM | |
Head north on Hoofdstraat | 291 M | ||
You are now at section 89 | 0 M | ||
From
89
to
90
|
300 M | 0.3 KM | |
Head east on Veerpad | 60 M | ||
Take the ferry Valkenburg - Rijnsburg | 46 M | ||
Continue slight right onto Valkenburgerveerpad | 194 M | ||
You are now at section 90 | 0 M | ||
From
90
to
34
|
1007 M | 1 KM | |
Head northwest on Valkenburgerweg | 213 M | ||
Turn left onto Waterboslaan | 469 M | ||
Continue straight | 220 M | ||
Continue onto Verkorenstraat | 61 M | ||
Continue straight | 44 M | ||
You are now at section 34 | 0 M | ||
From
34
to
92
|
271 M | 0.3 KM | |
Head northeast on Spinozalaan | 271 M | ||
You are now at section 92 | 0 M | ||
From
92
to
25
|
892 M | 0.9 KM | |
Head east on Spinozalaan | 225 M | ||
Turn left onto Langevaart | 19 M | ||
Turn right onto Rapenburg | 114 M | ||
Turn right to stay on Rapenburg | 23 M | ||
Turn left to stay on Rapenburg | 511 M | ||
You are now at section 25 | 0 M | ||
From
25
to
96
|
770 M | 0.8 KM | |
Head north on Brouwerstraat | 511 M | ||
Turn left onto Burgemeester Meijboomstraat | 13 M | ||
Turn right onto Noordeinde | 20 M | ||
Turn right onto Noordwijkerweg | 226 M | ||
You are now at section 96 | 0 M | ||
From
96
to
94
|
219 M | 0.2 KM | |
Head west | 37 M | ||
Turn left | 106 M | ||
Turn left onto Voorhouterweg | 76 M | ||
You are now at section 94 | 0 M | ||
From
94
to
67
|
4158 M | 4.2 KM | |
Head east on Voorhouterweg | 56 M | ||
Continue slightly right onto Bankijkerweg | 8 M | ||
Turn left | 10 M | ||
Continue onto Voorhouterweg | 482 M | ||
Turn right onto Vinkenweg | 175 M | ||
Turn left onto Elsgeesterweg | 1.1 KM | ||
Make a slight right onto 1e Elsgeesterweg | 1.6 KM | ||
Turn right onto Rijnsburgerweg | 487 M | ||
Turn right onto Leidsevaart | 218 M | ||
You are now at section 67 | 0 M | ||
From
67
to
46
|
830 M | 0.8 KM | |
Head northwest on Leidsevaart | 830 M | ||
You are now at section 46 | 0 M | ||
From
46
to
66
|
1084 M | 1.1 KM | |
Head northwest on Leidsevaart | 1.1 KM | ||
You are now at section 66 | 0 M | ||
From
66
to
72
|
393 M | 0.4 KM | |
Head northwest on Van Berckelweg; van Berckelweg | 62 M | ||
Turn left onto Lageweg | 124 M | ||
Turn left to stay on Lageweg | 188 M | ||
Turn right to stay on Lageweg | 19 M | ||
You are now at section 72 | 0 M | ||
From
72
to
15
|
565 M | 0.6 KM | |
Head northwest on Lageweg | 532 M | ||
Make a slight right onto Schiestraat | 33 M | ||
You are now at section 15 | 0 M | ||
From
15
to
34
|
351 M | 0.4 KM | |
Head north on Schiestraat | 28 M | ||
Turn left to stay on Schiestraat | 99 M | ||
Make a slight left onto Voorstraat | 224 M | ||
You are now at section 34 | 0 M | ||
From
34
to
24
|
1144 M | 1.1 KM | |
Head northwest on Raadhuisstraat | 389 M | ||
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Nieuwe Zeeweg | 61 M | ||
Exit the roundabout onto Nieuwe Zeeweg | 694 M | ||
You are now at section 24 | 0 M | ||
From
24
to
33
|
1459 M | 1.5 KM | |
Head northwest on Nieuwe Zeeweg | 15 M | ||
Turn right onto Duinweg | 148 M | ||
Make a slight right to stay on Duinweg | 70 M | ||
Make a slight right | 17 M | ||
Make a slight right onto van Panhuysstraat | 473 M | ||
Make a slight left | 46 M | ||
Turn left | 25 M | ||
Turn left onto van de Mortelstraat | 17 M | ||
Turn right onto Duinwetering | 608 M | ||
Make a slight right to stay on Duinwetering | 32 M | ||
Turn left to stay on Duinwetering | 8 M | ||
You are now at section 33 | 0 M | ||
From
33
to
32
|
1847 M | 1.8 KM | |
Head northwest on Northgodreef | 650 M | ||
Turn left to stay on Northgodreef | 615 M | ||
Continue straight | 154 M | ||
Turn right onto Northgodreef | 428 M | ||
You are now at section 32 | 0 M | ||
From
32
to
61
|
905 M | 0.9 KM | |
Head northwest on Vuurtorenplein | 905 M | ||
You are now at section 61 | 0 M | ||
From
61
to
47
|
200 M | 0.2 KM | |
Head south on De Grent | 200 M | ||
You are now at section 47 | 0 M |