Tour The Farm | in the Kromme Rijnstreek 30km
Werkhoven, Langbroek, Cothen
For the origins of the agricultural sector around Wijk bij Duurstede, we have to go back to the early Middle Ages. At that time, the town was called Dorestad and owned by the Romans. After turbulent years in Italy, peace had returned by the year 620. South-north trade resumed via the Rhine, with Dorestad becoming one of the most important trade centres. Thanks to its strategic location on both the Lek, Vecht and Rhine, almost every shipping route passed Dorestad. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the city passed into the hands of the Frankish kings in 690. Utrecht and Dorestad were developed as fortified settlements along the Rhine. The transport of pottery and glass from the Rhineland, metal from the Meuse valley and trade between the Mediterranean and the Baltic passed through the former Wijk bij Duurstede, and the trading centre flourished and prospered. In 720, the town was moved some 500 metres to the east. The reason: the Rhine changed course, making the trading town too far from the water. The harbour of the new Dorestad was two kilometres long and two rows of houses were built. However, the town had no walls. It also lacked a bishop's church and other defences. It was entirely at the mercy of the king's protection. This made the new city very vulnerable to looters West of the city, the land was laid out as agricultural land. Large farms, like those on the Veluwe and in Drenthe, were built. Thus, numerous merchants and traders as well as farmers found work in Dorestad. Incidentally, many farmers were merchants themselves. Until well into the 8th century, industry continued to flourish throughout the Netherlands. Products were mainly manufactured in the countryside. Dorestad was an exception. Although a large agricultural sector had also developed there, here there were many more industries in the town itself. Shipbuilding, woodworking, rope-making and tannery. Mint masters, iron smiths and textile processing were also very extensive. From the city, trade with Scandinavia and England was especially extensive. In 810, the Vikings first set foot on Dutch soil from Denmark. Despite the good trade relations with the north, Dorestad also had to suffer in 834. The Vikings plundered the city. A period of more than thirty years, with several plunderings, began. Due to the lack of defences and a Frankish king with sympathy for the Vikings, Dorestad had become a dangerous destination. Trade came to a halt. Nature was not helping either: the Rhine had once again moved further east. This time, the inhabitants ran out of energy to push the city further. Trade centre Dorestad was over. Yet the agricultural sector never stopped. You can still see that today, more than 1,200 years later. Trade might not have been able to continue because of the changed Rhine, but the rivers provided fertile land. Fruit orchards, vast nature and green floodplains adorn the landscape. The river landscape was not only strategic but also incredibly beautiful. In turn, it attracted Utrecht nobles. They had castles and estates built there, many of which can still be admired today. Thus, the Kromme Rijn region became 'The outside of Utrecht'.
| Directions | Distance | Total distance | |
|
Start: Nachtdijk , 3945 PK Wijk bij Duurstede | 29.3 KM | |
|
From
53
to
58
|
1056 M | 1.1 KM | |
| Head northeast on Nachtdijk | 1.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 58 | 0 M | ||
|
From
58
to
57
|
783 M | 0.8 KM | |
| Head northeast on Tuurdijk | 783 M | ||
| You are now at section 57 | 0 M | ||
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From
57
to
60
|
2650 M | 2.7 KM | |
| Head northwest on Hollendewagenweg | 2.3 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Herenstraat | 304 M | ||
| You are now at section 60 | 0 M | ||
|
From
60
to
76
|
4769 M | 4.8 KM | |
| Head northeast on Herenstraat | 804 M | ||
| Turn right onto Otselaan | 7 M | ||
| Turn left onto Werkhovenseweg | 348 M | ||
| Continue straight | 223 M | ||
| Turn right onto Molenhoeflaan | 2.4 KM | ||
| Make a slight left onto Broekweg | 971 M | ||
| You are now at section 76 | 0 M | ||
|
From
76
to
59
|
653 M | 0.7 KM | |
| Head southeast on Langbroekerdijk | 653 M | ||
| You are now at section 59 | 0 M | ||
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From
59
to
23
|
153 M | 0.2 KM | |
| Head southwest on Langbroekerdijk | 18 M | ||
| Turn left onto Langbroekerdijk | 135 M | ||
| You are now at section 23 | 0 M | ||
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From
23
to
25
|
2125 M | 2.1 KM | |
| Head southeast on Langbroekerdijk | 2.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 25 | 0 M | ||
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From
25
to
61
|
2080 M | 2.1 KM | |
| Head northeast on Rhodensteijnselaan | 1.2 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Gooyerdijk | 910 M | ||
| You are now at section 61 | 0 M | ||
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From
61
to
9
|
1283 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head east on Gooyerdijk | 1.3 KM | ||
| You are now at section 09 | 0 M | ||
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From
9
to
27
|
1332 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head southwest on Sandenburgerlaan | 1.3 KM | ||
| You are now at section 27 | 0 M | ||
|
From
27
to
95
|
1116 M | 1.1 KM | |
| Head southeast on Langbroekerdijk | 1.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 95 | 0 M | ||
|
From
95
to
13
|
1655 M | 1.7 KM | |
| Head southwest on Wijkerweg | 1.7 KM | ||
| You are now at section 13 | 0 M | ||
|
From
13
to
50
|
2872 M | 2.9 KM | |
| Head west on Melkwegsetiendweg | 473 M | ||
| Continue onto Groenewoudpad | 698 M | ||
| Turn left onto Groenewoudseweg | 88 M | ||
| Turn left | 21 M | ||
| Turn right | 63 M | ||
| Continue onto Groenewoudseweg | 1 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Tarweveld | 17 M | ||
| Turn left onto Dorpsstraat | 475 M | ||
| You are now at section 50 | 0 M | ||
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From
50
to
56
|
3265 M | 3.3 KM | |
| Head northwest on Kerkweg | 237 M | ||
| Turn left onto Wethouder C.E. Th. Vernooijstraat | 96 M | ||
| Turn right onto Monseigneur Le Blancstraat | 101 M | ||
| Turn left onto C.B. Kentiestraat | 197 M | ||
| Turn right onto Willem-Alexanderweg | 412 M | ||
| Turn right onto Ossenwaard | 2.2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 56 | 0 M | ||
|
From
56
to
55
|
1100 M | 1.1 KM | |
| Head southeast on Smidsdijk | 1.1 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Kapelleweg | 15 M | ||
| You are now at section 55 | 0 M | ||
|
From
55
to
53
|
2423 M | 2.4 KM | |
| Head west on Kapelleweg | 2.3 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Nachtdijk | 131 M | ||
| You are now at section 53 | 0 M |