Rhenen-Wageningen Ferry

The Nederrijn, the Lower Rhine, flows west across the middle of the Netherlands between the Veluwe ridge to the north and the fruit-growing lowlands of the Betuwe to the south, and over most of its length it is crossed by only a few bridges. In many places, small ferries carry people across the water instead, and the crossing between Rhenen and Wageningen is one of them. Details of the vessel, its timetable and what it carries are not consistently published, so it is best to check the current arrangements before relying on it, but the idea is simple. It is a short, slow trip across a broad river, used by local people, walkers and cyclists as a way of linking the two towns.

The river itself is the attraction. The Nederrijn is wide here, with a floodplain of meadows and willow thickets on both banks, flanked by dykes. Barges pass along the main channel, the water is brown and slow, and the banks are home to many birds. A ferry crossing gives a view of all this from the water, with the towers of Rhenen on one side and the university city of Wageningen on the other. The trip lasts a few minutes, but the change of perspective and the sense of moving between two shores give it a charm that a bridge cannot match. The crossing is quiet, unhurried and a little old-fashioned.

The ferry is particularly useful for cyclists. The Netherlands has an extensive network of cycle routes, and the Nederrijn dykes are part of it, so a day ride can easily include a crossing. Routes lead along the dykes from Wageningen towards Arnhem or Wijk bij Duurstede, and on the far side through Rhenen's streets and the wooded slopes of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug. The river meadows of the Blauwe Kamer, a nature reserve in the floodplain where wild horses, beavers and sea eagles can be seen, are close to the crossing and make a rewarding stop.

Both towns merit time. Rhenen has the tall tower of the Cunerakerk, a hill with views over the river, the Ouwehands zoo and a war cemetery on the Grebbeberg. Wageningen is a university town known for its research on food and agriculture, with a lively centre, an arboretum and several museums. In May 1945 the German surrender in the Netherlands was agreed here.

The ferry suits cyclists, walkers and families, and a crossing takes only a few minutes. Operating times change with the season and the weather, so check before you set out, and bring cash in case a fee applies.