Nieuweweg Cycle Path to Fort Tienhoven

The Loosdrechtse Plassen are a landscape of lakes and reed-fringed strips of land between Utrecht, Hilversum and Amsterdam, created by centuries of peat digging, and the Nieuweweg is a cycle route through the middle of that landscape. It is described as leading towards Fort Tienhoven, a fortification linked to the New Dutch Waterline, and it offers a quiet ride among lakes, reed beds and meadows, away from the busier roads of the Randstad. The route is largely separate from motor traffic, which makes it easy and relaxed for families and casual cyclists.

The scenery is the main reason to take it. As you ride, you pass open water, narrow channels, reed beds and meadows, with long views across the lakes and the occasional sailing boat. The strips of land between the lakes are the remains of the old peat diggings, and the pattern of land and water is the clearest sign of how the area was made. Birdlife is rich: herons stand in the shallows, great crested grebes dive in the open water, and reed warblers sing from the reed beds in spring and summer. Benches and picnic spots along the way give places to stop and watch.

The New Dutch Waterline was a defence system that stretched from the Zuiderzee to the Biesbosch and relied on flooding low-lying land to hold up an invader. It was built and rebuilt over several centuries, and in the nineteenth century a chain of forts and fortified positions was added, linked by controlled floods. The idea was to keep the water shallow enough to prevent boats from crossing but too deep for soldiers to wade, and the forts guarded key points. Fort Tienhoven is one of them, and, as with many forts of the line, its grassy ramparts and moats are still visible even when the buildings are closed to the public, so it can be appreciated from outside.

The lakes have other attractions close by. Castle Sypesteyn, in Loosdrecht, is a reconstructed medieval castle with a museum and gardens, and the View of Oud-Loosdrechtsedijk Waterfront gives a classic view of the lakes from the dike road, with terraces and boats. The area offers many opportunities to rent a small boat, a canoe or a stand-up paddleboard, and the nearby towns of Hilversum, Utrecht and Amsterdam are easily reached by bicycle or train.

The route suits families, leisure cyclists, birdwatchers and photographers. Choose a calm day, as the open land is exposed to the wind, and bring water and snacks, since facilities along the path are limited. Spring and early summer, with their birdsong and fresh green, are among the nicest times to ride.