Historical Windmill Route through Nature-Rich Area
Zaandijk, Wormer, Landsmeer
Did you know that the Zaanstreek is the oldest industrial area in the world? Between 1575 and 1975, this area, with more than a thousand mills, formed a true industrial park. At its peak, during the Golden Age, there were no fewer than six hundred mills along the Zaan River. They produced everything from wood and paper to spices and various types of oils, exporting these products worldwide. Without the Zaanse windmills, the Netherlands would probably never have become such a major power! The windmills in the Zaanstreek were powered by wind. This was the work of local resident Cornelis Corneliszoon van Uitgeest, who invented the crankshaft in 1594. This innovation made it possible to convert the horizontal wind direction on the mill blades into a vertical sawing motion. This allowed wood to be sawed faster, straighter, and cheaper than ever before. Many mills along the Zaan focused on this craft. Thanks to all that wood, shipbuilding grew rapidly, which helped the Netherlands strengthen its position as a global power during the Golden Age. The location next to Amsterdam was ideal: products from the Zaanstreek easily made their way to the capital and also to the world market. The Jonge Schaap at the Zaanse Schans is one of the mills that were invaluable to the development of the Netherlands. This sawmill was originally built in 1680 and played a key role in Dutch shipbuilding. In 1942, the original mill was demolished, and in 2005, it was rebuilt based on old blueprints. Today, visitors can see for themselves how wooden planks and beams are sawed using wind power. The mill is also a popular location for parties, weddings, and dinners. There are more mills in the Zaanstreek area that have contributed to the development of the Netherlands in their own way. For example, in the countryside of Wormer, there is still the Koker mill (also known as the Zwarte Hengst), where the ship's biscuit was made that was eaten on ships of the VOC and WIC. Ship's biscuit was compact, long-lasting, and thanks to its high calorie content, fairly nutritious. This biscuit was a reliable source of energy during the numerous sea excursions that were so crucial for the colonial expansion of the Netherlands. But the role of polder mills, such as the Twiskemolen, in Dutch history should not be forgotten. Although this mill was originally located in Barsingerhorn, its function remains the same: draining the surrounding polder. The land gained through such drainage not only increased the production of various important raw materials for trade, but also provided extra space for the growing cities. This allowed for the emergence of a new urban elite, which further boosted the development of the Netherlands. Hop on your bike and discover the charm of North Holland’s nature and its majestic historical windmills. Relax in the green polders and a water-rich recreational park, and end with a quintessential Dutch panorama filled with industrial windmills at the Zaanse Schans. This Premium cycle route has been compiled by our editor: Dewi Hoijtink.
| Directions | Distance | Total distance | |
|
Start: Zandweg 151, 1531 AM Wormerland | 38.7 KM | |
|
From
93
to
45
|
6445 M | 6.4 KM | |
| Head east on Zandweg | 385 M | ||
| Turn right | 69 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Zandweg | 3.1 KM | ||
| Make a slight left onto Weiver | 645 M | ||
| Turn right onto Dorpsstraat | 2.2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 45 | 0 M | ||
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From
45
to
33
|
5414 M | 5.4 KM | |
| Head east on Jisperdijk | 2.8 KM | ||
| Turn right to stay on Jisperdijk | 25 M | ||
| Turn left onto Neck | 1 KM | ||
| Make a slight right onto Neckerstraat | 80 M | ||
| Turn right onto Oude Provincialeweg | 803 M | ||
| Continue straight | 109 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 84 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 499 M | ||
| You are now at section 33 | 0 M | ||
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From
33
to
32
|
742 M | 0.7 KM | |
| Head southeast on Evenaar | 737 M | ||
| Turn left onto Melkweg | 5 M | ||
| You are now at section 32 | 0 M | ||
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From
32
to
14
|
990 M | 1 KM | |
| Head southwest on Melkweg | 611 M | ||
| Turn right | 24 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 16 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Purmerland | 339 M | ||
| You are now at section 14 | 0 M | ||
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From
14
to
13
|
3358 M | 3.4 KM | |
| Head northwest | 168 M | ||
| Continue onto Spoorpad | 1.4 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Wormerpad | 132 M | ||
| Turn left onto Wormerpad | 99 M | ||
| Turn left | 1.5 KM | ||
| You are now at section 13 | 0 M | ||
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From
13
to
15
|
1294 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head south | 274 M | ||
| Turn right | 655 M | ||
| Turn right onto Ringvaart | 13 M | ||
| Turn left | 352 M | ||
| You are now at section 15 | 0 M | ||
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From
15
to
16
|
2487 M | 2.5 KM | |
| Head west | 2.1 KM | ||
| Turn right | 379 M | ||
| You are now at section 16 | 0 M | ||
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From
16
to
19
|
2086 M | 2.1 KM | |
| Head south | 238 M | ||
| Turn left | 1.1 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Het Luijendijkje | 745 M | ||
| You are now at section 19 | 0 M | ||
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From
19
to
18
|
2425 M | 2.4 KM | |
| Head west on Het Luijendijkje | 117 M | ||
| Continue straight | 259 M | ||
| Turn right | 162 M | ||
| Turn left onto Pikpotweg | 170 M | ||
| Turn left | 252 M | ||
| Continue onto De Zuiderlaaik | 653 M | ||
| Continue straight | 11 M | ||
| Turn right onto Zuideinde | 801 M | ||
| You are now at section 18 | 0 M | ||
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From
18
to
70
|
4191 M | 4.2 KM | |
| Head southwest on Kerkstraat | 1.5 KM | ||
| Turn right | 45 M | ||
| Turn right onto Poelenburg | 291 M | ||
| Turn left onto Clusiusstraat | 572 M | ||
| Turn right onto De Weer | 88 M | ||
| Turn left onto Blooksven | 171 M | ||
| Turn right onto Dominee Martin Luther Kingweg; Ds. Martin Luther Kingweg | 389 M | ||
| Turn left onto Walraven van Hallstraat | 228 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 57 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Kepplerstraat | 167 M | ||
| Continue straight | 28 M | ||
| Continue onto Kepplerstraat | 114 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 31 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 16 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto H Gerhardstraat | 104 M | ||
| Continue straight | 36 M | ||
| Turn left onto Peperstraat | 10 M | ||
| Continue onto Peperstraat | 330 M | ||
| You are now at section 70 | 0 M | ||
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From
70
to
71
|
2213 M | 2.2 KM | |
| Head northwest | 38 M | ||
| Continue onto Oostzijde | 2.2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 71 | 0 M | ||
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From
71
to
73
|
2136 M | 2.1 KM | |
| Head west on Paltrokstraat | 171 M | ||
| Turn right onto Zuideinde | 772 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Lagendijk | 774 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Lagedijk | 54 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 52 M | ||
| Turn right onto Guisweg | 313 M | ||
| You are now at section 73 | 0 M | ||
|
From
73
to
94
|
2316 M | 2.3 KM | |
| Head north on Kalverringdijk | 7 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Kalverringdijk | 1.7 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Engewormer | 636 M | ||
| You are now at section 94 | 0 M | ||
|
From
94
to
92
|
1564 M | 1.6 KM | |
| Head northwest on Engewormer | 26 M | ||
| Turn right onto Zaandammerpad | 342 M | ||
| Turn left | 114 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Papiermakerstraat | 358 M | ||
| Continue onto Rigastraat | 133 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Bordwalserstraat | 126 M | ||
| Make a slight right to stay on Bordwalserstraat | 18 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Rigastraat | 54 M | ||
| Enter Unieplein and take the 4th exit | 68 M | ||
| Exit the roundabout | 206 M | ||
| Turn right | 10 M | ||
| Turn left | 23 M | ||
| Continue onto Nieuweweg | 13 M | ||
| Turn right onto Nieuweweg | 73 M | ||
| You are now at section 92 | 0 M | ||
|
From
92
to
93
|
1064 M | 1.1 KM | |
| Head west on Veerdijk | 1.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 93 | 0 M |