Beemster forts cycle route
Two World Heritage Sites in one route, what more could you want as a cyclist? Cycle with us and get to know De Beemster reclaimed land and the Hollandse Waterlinies.
From the heart of Purmerend, you drive straight up the Beemsterringdijk and have a good view of the depths of the polder. At Fort Benoorden Purmerend you dive down and experience the sleek, geometric layout. In charming Middenbeemster, the route leads past pretty cheese-cover farmhouses to the Fort along Nekkerweg. The former defensive structure has been given a wonderful new use as a wellness hotel. Enjoy the terrace by the poterne.
The cycle tour continues to Fort Spijkerboor, the largest and most heavily armed line fortress. The tour of the huge building is very impressive! The cycle tour of De Rijp then shows you a completely different side of the route. Before the reclamation, De Rijp was a prosperous fishing town and you can see that as you ride past the ornate town hall.
Back at Spijker...
From the heart of Purmerend, you drive straight up the Beemsterringdijk and have a good view of the depths of the polder. At Fort Benoorden Purmerend you dive down and experience the sleek, geometric layout. In charming Middenbeemster, the route leads past pretty cheese-cover farmhouses to the Fort along Nekkerweg. The former defensive structure has been given a wonderful new use as a wellness hotel. Enjoy the terrace by the poterne.
The cycle tour continues to Fort Spijkerboor, the largest and most heavily armed line fortress. The tour of the huge building is very impressive! The cycle tour of De Rijp then shows you a completely different side of the route. Before the reclamation, De Rijp was a prosperous fishing town and you can see that as you ride past the ornate town hall.
Back at Spijkerboor, you cross over to the other side by ferry at the junction of the Beemsterringvaart and the Noordhollands Kanaal.You cycle around the Starnmeerpolder for a look at the Fort near Marken-Binnen and return once more to Spijkerboor. The last part of the tour is also lovely cycling between meadows, ditches and the idyllic hamlet of Neck.
Important information:
- Download the PDF file for the cycle route.
- Please note: the route deviates from the network twice. Between nodes 6 and 43 you'll ride via Fort aan de Nekkerweg and node 46. In De Rijp, follow Zuideinde and Zuiddijk to junction 59.
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Starting point:
Purmerend railway stationStationsweg 1
1441 EJ Purmerend
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Fort Benoorden | Purmerend
Fort Benoorden is part of the Defence Line of Amsterdam and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site 'Hollandse Waterlinies'. This defensive line of forts was built 15 to 20 kilometres around Amsterdam between 1880 and 1914.
Fort Benoorden | Purmerend
Fort Benoorden is part of the Defence Line of Amsterdam and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site 'Hollandse Waterlinies'. This defensive line of forts was built 15 to 20 kilometres around Amsterdam between 1880 and 1914.
Within this ring, the army, government and king could retreat in case of (possible) attacks on the Netherlands. An ingenious system allowed the land around the defence line to be flooded. Too shallow for boats and too deep for men and horses. Five forts and an inundation sluice of this defence line are located in De Beemster.
This fort was built to defend the vulnerable points formed by the Beemsterringdijk, Purmerenderweg and Rijperweg roads. The defensible earthwork was completed in 1895. The bombproof main building from 1912 is connected by covered corridors to the two lifting turret buildings. Today, wine is stored between the thick walls of this fort, as a wine importer has been located here since 1981.
The fort north of Purmerend was only added to the Defence Line of Amsterdam at a late stage (1907). The construction of this fort, which is part of the northern front of the Defence Line, made use of several new insights. One of the novelties applied was the construction of so-called poternes - corridors covered with steel and concrete - which formed a completely safe connection between the main building and the artillery units.
Poternes were constructed to the two lifting turrets, which housed the large artillery pieces, and to the machine gun emplacements set up at the front. On the right side of the fort's front, part of the terrain was excavated. This was done when a new access road was built.
Fort along Nekkerweg
The fort on Nekkerweg is part of the Defence Line of Amsterdam and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site 'Hollandse Waterlinies'. This defensive line of forts was built 15 to 20 kilometres around Amsterdam between 1880 and 1914.
Fort along Nekkerweg
The fort on Nekkerweg is part of the Defence Line of Amsterdam and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site 'Hollandse Waterlinies'. This defensive line of forts was built 15 to 20 kilometres around Amsterdam between 1880 and 1914.
This fort created a kink in the main defence line. To prevent the Zuidoostbeemster from being flooded when the Beemster Polder was inundated, both the Nekkerweg and the Volgerweg were raised. This fortress had to prevent the enemy from moving easily via these two elevated roads.
The Fort on Nekkerweg was not completed until 1912. The fort changed its use almost immediately afterwards. In 1918, it was put into use as a military prison. In the period that followed, many conscientious objectors mainly served their sentences here. Almost nothing remains of the fort's original interior. However, the concrete machine gun emplacements on the front wall remain reasonably intact, as does the fort watchman's house.
The fort that once housed soldiers has now been transformed into a luxury eco-chic wellness resort, with two restaurants and 16 luxurious rooms and suites.
Inundation sluice in South Beemster ring dyke
The Inundation Lock is part of the Defence Line of Amsterdam and was constructed by the Department of War between 1890 and 1891.
Inundation sluice in South Beemster ring dyke
The Inundation Lock is part of the Defence Line of Amsterdam and was constructed by the Department of War between 1890 and 1891.
The sluice formed the main point in the water control of the Beemster polder and was built for the purpose of "flooding the Beemster polder". It consisted of a sluice section in the dyke body and then a bowl section in the upper Beemster polder. Water from the North Holland Canal was let into the polder via this bowl. When the polder was flooded in 1940, it was done via this lock. After its military function ceased, the lock fell into disuse. The openings on the canal side were sealed with concrete and the sluiceways and discharge bed with earth.
Fort along Middenweg
The fort on Middenweg is part of the Defence Line of Amsterdam and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Hollandse Waterlinies'. This defensive line of forts was built 15 to 20 kilometres around Amsterdam between 1880 and 1914.
Fort along Middenweg
The fort on Middenweg is part of the Defence Line of Amsterdam and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Hollandse Waterlinies'. This defensive line of forts was built 15 to 20 kilometres around Amsterdam between 1880 and 1914.
The fort is located on the southern ring dyke of polder De Beemster. The North Holland Canal runs behind the fort and the dike. An inundation sluice for the Beemster is located east of the fort. The purpose of the fort was to seal off and defend the accesses formed by the Middenweg and Zuiddijk roads. The original situation around the fort has been preserved: open polder landscape outside the Defence Line and the dike and canal inside the Defence Line.
The fort was used as a warehouse complex from unknown date until after 1974 and on 1-12-1950 as a gunpowder magazine. Later used by Eurometaal (vm Artillerie Inrichtingen); still in use in 1980/1983. Narrow gauge track was present for this purpose.
Facilities for a Detention and Residence Camp for political offenders were partially made in 1946 but the fort was not used as a camp.
Flora & Fauna are of great natural value. Due to strong temperature changes on the barren fort site, distinct dune vegetation occurs here. To be found are, among others, Wall Pepper, Sand Wall, Common Wallow, Jacob's Cross and Rough forget-me-not. Also found are Wolf's-foot, Red-water-herb and Pennywort. Long-eared owl and freshwater prawn are also residents of the nature reserve around the fort.
A special feature of this fort was the washroom for the soldiers. An ingenious system cleans rainwater before it enters the wash basins. The sinks themselves can be tipped over so that the dirty water flows away.
The Fort on Middenweg can be admired but not visited.
Fort on Jisperweg
The fort is located along the southern ring dyke of De Beemster polder. The North Holland Canal runs behind the fort and the dyke. The fort had until the closure and defence of the access to it." (The Jisperweg.)
Fort on Jisperweg
The fort is located along the southern ring dyke of De Beemster polder. The North Holland Canal runs behind the fort and the dyke. The fort had until the closure and defence of the access to it." (The Jisperweg.)
Commissioned in 1918 as a military house for about 20 detainees, not being conscientious objectors, of the court martial. Other detainees were locked up in the Fort along Nekkerweg or the Fort near Spijkerboor. From the ring dyke, the access road leads to the fort's throat side. The fort watchman's house and the iron storage shed are
no longer present.
A moat surrounds the entire fort; the access bridge is no longer present and has been replaced by a single dam. The main building has a door on the throat side and two windows with steel shutters to each room. The room leading to the pottery has a large double steel door. The front wall is still present and contains four machine gun emplacements and in the middle front, instead of a front building, a lifting turret building.
The nature reserve around the fort houses unusual birds such as the Golden Oriole and the Great Owl, among others. Particular plants include the Ground Featherweed, Ringleaf Vetch and Blue Woodruff.
Fort near Spijkerboor
The fort near Spijkerboor was the main fort in the northern front of the Defence Line of Amsterdam. From here, the highly strategic dykes around the Beemsterringvaart and the North Holland Canal were defended.
Fort near Spijkerboor
The fort near Spijkerboor was the main fort in the northern front of the Defence Line of Amsterdam. From here, the highly strategic dykes around the Beemsterringvaart and the North Holland Canal were defended.
The Fort near Spijkerboor was therefore equipped with the heaviest artillery of any fort in this part of the front. At the front, a rotating armoured turret was even fitted with two pieces of artillery of 10.5-centimetre calibre with a range of no less than ten kilometres. This turret and artillery are still present and can also be visited.
The two-storey fort building was used as a prison several times after the First World War. The bars in front of the windows and the interior murals date from those periods.
In 2026, the fort will reopen its doors for viewing! On these days, you can join guided tours, or set off on your own via a marked walking route.
Fort near Markenbinnen
The fort near Marken-Binnen is located in the Starnmeer polder. The fort is part of the Defence Line of Amsterdam and is very isolated from the surrounding forts.
Fort near Markenbinnen
The fort near Marken-Binnen is located in the Starnmeer polder. The fort is part of the Defence Line of Amsterdam and is very isolated from the surrounding forts.
There was not even a direct connecting road to the fort at Spijkerboor and the fort at Krommeniedijk. Years ago, the fort was built to defend the Markervaart canal, and when the bombproof building was ready for use in 1905, the photo could begin to perform its function.
During World War I and World War II, soldiers were mobilised at the fort, but after World War II, the fort no longer had a function. Fortunately, the fort has been beautifully preserved and we can still enjoy it to the full today. Today, various activities are organised in and around the fort (FORTtreffelijk), such as laser gaming, treasure hunts, escape rooms, guided tours and much more. Do you dare to take up the challenge? Then visit the website and discover all the possibilities.
The fort is also the place to be for safety training, team building sessions, company outings, wedding parties, etc.
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