Lek River Boating

The Lek is one of the great branches of the Rhine, flowing west through the middle of the country from the point near Arnhem where the river splits, and the area around Wijk bij Duurstede is one of the best places to experience it from the water. The town stands on the south bank of the Lek, at the point where the Kromme Rijn, the old Rhine, once flowed into the main stream, and its harbour has long been a base for boats. The river here is wide, slow and lined with floodplain meadows and dikes.

Boating on the Lek has a long tradition. The Rhine was the main trade route between the North Sea and the interior of Europe, and this stretch was busy with merchant vessels and barges from Roman times. The Vikings knew it as well, since the nearby trading settlement of Dorestad, which flourished from the seventh to the ninth centuries, was one of the largest in northwestern Europe. Today, the boats are more likely to be leisure craft, and the river is used by sailors, rowers, kayakers and anglers as well as commercial barges.

A water sports association based in the town, the Watersportvereniging Rijn en Lek, operates a harbour on a dead arm of the Rhine, a former river bend that was cut off from the main stream and now forms a sheltered basin. The harbour has around a hundred and ninety moorings, and it acts as a base for local members and for visiting boaters who want to stop in the town. The setting is tranquil, with trees and meadows on the banks, and the atmosphere is friendly and informal.

For visitors without a boat, the Lek River Promenade offers views of the water and the passing ships, and there are cafes and benches where one can sit. Rental of small boats or canoes may be possible in season, and excursion boats sometimes operate. The dike roads are good for cycling, and they link the town with the villages along the river. The surrounding countryside, with orchards, farms and castles, rewards unhurried exploration.

Wijk bij Duurstede also has its own sights, such as the castle ruin, the windmill and the church of Sint-Pancratius. The river suits sailors, cyclists and walkers. Check weather and water conditions, wear a life jacket on the water, and respect the commercial shipping that has priority on the main channel.