Tour The Farm | in the Kromme Rijnstreek 43km
Wijk bij Duurstede, Schalkwijk, Cothen
The agricultural sector around Wijk bij Duurstede has its origins in the early Middle Ages, when the place was still known as Dorestad and was under Roman rule. After a troubled period in Italy, peace returned in 620 and south-north trade via the Rhine resumed. Dorestad grew into an important trading centre thanks to its strategic location on the Lek, Vecht and Rhine rivers. Almost every shipping route passed this thriving town. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Dorestad came into the hands of the Frankish kings in 690. Both Utrecht and Dorestad were fortified along the Rhine, and the town became a hub for trade in pottery, glass, metal and goods between the Mediterranean and the Baltic. Dorestad flourished as never before. In 720, the town was moved about 500 metres to the east as the Rhine changed course. Dorestad's new port stretched for two kilometres, with two rows of houses along the water. Without city walls or defences, however, the city was vulnerable to looters and dependent on the king for protection West of the city, an agricultural area with large farms developed, similar to those in the Veluwe and Drenthe. Here both traders and farmers found work. Many of them combined both professions. Until well into the 8th century, industry continued to flourish in the Netherlands, with Dorestad as an exception: in addition to an extensive agricultural sector, various crafts flourished there, such as shipbuilding, woodworking, rope-making, tannery, mint making, iron smithing and textile processing. From Dorestad, much trade was done with Scandinavia and England. In 810, the Vikings invaded the Netherlands for the first time. Despite good trade relations, Dorestad was plundered in 834. The city faced repeated attacks for over 30 years, partly due to the lack of defences and a Frankish king who sympathised with the Vikings. Trade came to a standstill. At the same time, the Rhine pushed further east. The inhabitants could no longer find the energy to move the city again. The trading centre Dorestad fell prey to history. Yet the agricultural sector continued unabated. Now, more than 1,200 years later, the fertile lands along the rivers are still in use. Fruit orchards, extensive nature and green floodplains dominate the landscape. The beautiful river landscape also attracted Utrecht nobility, which built castles and estates. These can still be admired today, making the Kromme Rijnstreek known as 'The outside of Utrecht'. This Premium cycle route has been compiled by our editor: Anne de Zwaan.
| Directions | Distance | Total distance | |
|
Start: Beusichemseweg 146, 3998 NL Houten | 43.1 KM | |
|
From
54
to
52
|
3724 M | 3.7 KM | |
| Head west on Lekdijk | 2 KM | ||
| Keep left onto Lekdijk | 1.8 KM | ||
| You are now at section 52 | 0 M | ||
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From
52
to
51
|
2425 M | 2.4 KM | |
| Head west on Lekdijk | 2.4 KM | ||
| You are now at section 51 | 0 M | ||
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From
51
to
18
|
2076 M | 2.1 KM | |
| Head northwest on Lekdijk | 2.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 18 | 0 M | ||
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From
18
to
14
|
3363 M | 3.4 KM | |
| Head northeast on Gedekte Gemeenschapsweg | 1.2 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Lange Uitweg | 575 M | ||
| Turn left onto Waalseweg | 324 M | ||
| Turn right | 840 M | ||
| Keep right at the fork | 70 M | ||
| Turn right onto Waalseweg | 333 M | ||
| You are now at section 14 | 0 M | ||
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From
14
to
26
|
1051 M | 1.1 KM | |
| Head northeast on Elpad | 1.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 26 | 0 M | ||
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From
26
to
64
|
2888 M | 2.9 KM | |
| Head southeast on Kaaidijk | 1.8 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Lange Uitweg | 17 M | ||
| Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Jonkheer Ramweg | 35 M | ||
| Exit the roundabout onto Jonkheer Ramweg | 995 M | ||
| You are now at section 64 | 0 M | ||
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From
64
to
82
|
1408 M | 1.4 KM | |
| Head southeast on Jonkheer Ramweg | 97 M | ||
| Turn left onto Schalkwijkseweg | 1.3 KM | ||
| You are now at section 82 | 0 M | ||
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From
82
to
66
|
440 M | 0.4 KM | |
| Head north on Schalkwijkseweg | 440 M | ||
| You are now at section 66 | 0 M | ||
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From
66
to
47
|
137 M | 0.1 KM | |
| Head east on Poeldijk | 122 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Poeldijk | 15 M | ||
| You are now at section 47 | 0 M | ||
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From
47
to
63
|
756 M | 0.8 KM | |
| Head south on Poeldijk | 12 M | ||
| Turn left onto Schonauwenseweg | 744 M | ||
| You are now at section 63 | 0 M | ||
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From
63
to
58
|
4887 M | 4.9 KM | |
| Head east on Wickenburghseweg | 1.9 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Beusichemseweg | 723 M | ||
| Continue onto Tuurdijk | 2.2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 58 | 0 M | ||
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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
30
|
189 M | 0.2 KM | |
| Head east on Tuurdijk | 189 M | ||
| You are now at section 30 | 0 M | ||
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From
30
to
56
|
1081 M | 1.1 KM | |
| Head southeast on Caspargauw | 1.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 56 | 0 M | ||
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From
56
to
50
|
3265 M | 3.3 KM | |
| Head northeast on Ossenwaard | 2.2 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Willem-Alexanderweg | 412 M | ||
| Turn left onto C.B. Kentiestraat | 197 M | ||
| Turn right onto Monseigneur Le Blancstraat | 101 M | ||
| Turn left onto Wethouder C.E. Th. Vernooijstraat | 96 M | ||
| Turn right onto Kerkweg | 237 M | ||
| You are now at section 50 | 0 M | ||
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From
50
to
13
|
2872 M | 2.9 KM | |
| Head south on Dorpsstraat | 475 M | ||
| Turn right onto Tarweveld | 17 M | ||
| Turn left onto Groenewoudseweg | 1 KM | ||
| Continue straight | 63 M | ||
| Turn left | 21 M | ||
| Turn right onto Groenewoudseweg | 88 M | ||
| Turn right onto Groenewoudpad | 698 M | ||
| Continue onto Melkwegsetiendweg | 473 M | ||
| You are now at section 13 | 0 M | ||
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From
13
to
14
|
1616 M | 1.6 KM | |
| Head south on Langbroekseweg | 7 M | ||
| Keep right onto Langbroekseweg | 41 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Langbroekseweg | 581 M | ||
| Continue straight | 74 M | ||
| Turn left onto Zandweg | 512 M | ||
| Turn right | 44 M | ||
| Turn right onto Zandweg | 347 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Zandweg | 10 M | ||
| You are now at section 14 | 0 M | ||
|
From
14
to
15
|
64 M | 0.1 KM | |
| Head south on Zandweg | 64 M | ||
| You are now at section 15 | 0 M | ||
|
From
15
to
93
|
1304 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head southwest on Singel | 1 KM | ||
| Make a slight right | 37 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Vrouwenpoortpad | 239 M | ||
| You are now at section 93 | 0 M | ||
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From
93
to
96
|
6189 M | 6.2 KM | |
| Head southwest on Veerweg (N229) | 603 M | ||
| Turn right | 745 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 162 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Lekdijk Oost | 417 M | ||
| Turn left onto Romeinenbaan | 219 M | ||
| Turn left onto Lekdijk West | 1.4 KM | ||
| Keep right onto Lekdijk West | 1.5 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Lekdijk West | 1.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 96 | 0 M | ||
|
From
96
to
54
|
2543 M | 2.5 KM | |
| Head west on Lekdijk West | 2.5 KM | ||
| You are now at section 54 | 0 M |