Ae and Die route
Get on your bike and explore the open peat meadow area of Waterland-East.
Here, the old stream channels of the peat rivers the Ae and the Die meander through the landscape and you can enjoy elongated ribbon villages in Waterland style and beautiful nature! Cycle through picturesque villages, past peat streams and reed-fringed lakes and enjoy the view from the IJsselmeerdijk. From the starting point, you cycle along the IJmeer towards Amsterdam. On the way, you cycle through several small villages, such as Ransdorp and Durgerdam. These elongated ribbon villages are built in typical Waterland style and can be recognised by their cosy wooden houses and bridges. Durgerdam also has a beautiful village church dating back to 1840.
While cycling along the dyke, you can also enjoy...
Here, the old stream channels of the peat rivers the Ae and the Die meander through the landscape and you can enjoy elongated ribbon villages in Waterland style and beautiful nature! Cycle through picturesque villages, past peat streams and reed-fringed lakes and enjoy the view from the IJsselmeerdijk. From the starting point, you cycle along the IJmeer towards Amsterdam. On the way, you cycle through several small villages, such as Ransdorp and Durgerdam. These elongated ribbon villages are built in typical Waterland style and can be recognised by their cosy wooden houses and bridges. Durgerdam also has a beautiful village church dating back to 1840.
While cycling along the dyke, you can also enjoy the flowery meadows, waving reed beds and peaceful nature around you. In spring, this area is home to all kinds of meadow birds, such as lapwings, black-tailed godwits, redshanks and ruffs. You will find several resting places along the route, so feel free to take a seat here to admire the birds and enjoy a home-made coffee and filled cake. Via the peat meadows around Zuiderwoude, you cycle back to the starting point of the route.
Important information:
- Due to reinforcement work on the Markermeer dykes, some roads are (temporarily) inaccessible. Part of this cycle route will also be temporarily closed. Go to markermeerdijken.nl for more information about the possible diversion route.
- This is a route of the Twiske-Waterland recreation board.
Take a closer look
You are going to see this
Ransdorper Tower
The Tower of Ransdorp is a monumental tower at the Church of Ransdorp. The tower was built between 1502 and 1542 in Gothic style.
Ransdorper Tower
The tower of Ransdorp is a monumental tower at the Church of Ransdorp. The tower was built between 1502 and 1542 in Gothic style.
A remarkable feature of this tower is its flat roof. Presumably, the tower was never completed due to lack of money. One advantage of this is that the tower is a perfect location to look out over the vast Rural North. This was also experienced by the Germans, who used the tower as a vantage point during World War II. Also special is the enormous size of the tower, compared to the relatively small village of Ransdorp. To understand this better, we need to go back in time. Read all about the history of the Ransdorper tower on their website.
Songbirds
You might hear these little birds rather than see them. They are small in size, but their recognisable song is unmissable.
Songbirds
You might hear these little birds before you see them. They are small in size, but their recognisable song is unmissable.
Still, you can see them swirling up from time to time if you pay attention. Have you spotted them yet?
Reed warbler
The sedge warbler is a small bird, with yellow-brown plumage, dark stripes on its head and back and a conspicuously light brow stripe. It likes to nest in tall reeds and a dense herb layer, where it is well hidden from any birds of prey. Fortunately, it is not shy and therefore still easy to see. When singing, the male climbs to the top of a reed cane, and then flies through the air singing for a bit, before lowering himself again like a parachute. It is a scratchy song, wild and full of imitations of other birds. In the weeks surrounding the breeding season (early May and again in June), you can hear the song of reed warblers all day long. Can you hear them around you?
Yellow wagtail
The yellow wagtail lives up to its name. The male has a bright yellow throat and breast, blue-grey head and a white eye-blue stripe. They regularly wiggle their tails up and down with quick, jerky movements and flutter impetuously through the air above the female during courtship, or run circles around her. The call is simple but distinctive: a high, single 'tswie'. Yellow wagtails like to frequent open agricultural areas, yet they are not found much in Waterland anymore. The yellow wagtail is on the Red List of Dutch breeding birds. Its numbers have declined 50-75% in the Netherlands since the 1960s.
Skylark
The skylark is light brown, with yellow and brown stripes and a contrasting white belly. It can raise a short, blunt crest by which it can also be recognised. In spring, you can hear the skylark's exuberant song from long distances. During courtship, they make beautiful song flights. First they fly up to 100 metres into the air, only to fly down and land near the female, singing loudly. Unfortunately, the skylark is not doing well. They have declined by up to 95% since 1960 and are therefore also on the red list of Dutch breeding birds. These little birds arrive in the Netherlands between February and April and leave again between September and November.
Farmers and meadow birds
You must have noticed while cycling that there are an awful lot of farms in Waterland. The meadows in Waterland-East are almost all managed by farmers.
Farmers and meadow birds
You must have noticed while cycling that there are an awful lot of farms in Waterland. The meadows in Waterland-East are almost all managed by farmers.
These farmers are therefore important for maintaining the meadow bird population. Many management measures that are good for these species require an extra effort from farmers. They receive compensation for their extra work through Agricultural Nature Management. Farmers mow later in the year, for instance, so that the meadow birds' eggs have time to hatch. They can also spread the rough manure from their stables on their land to promote calm and herb-rich grass growth. Manure also provides insect-rich soil life, which the meadow birds feast on. Foxes and other predators are also a major threat to meadow birds as they like to eat the eggs and nestlings. The construction of fox grids should keep the fox away from the field where the meadow birds breed.
Many farmers sacrifice a plot on their land to create a puddle-drace. From this point, you have a beautiful view of such a puddle-drench. As you can see, a piece of land has been flooded and around it grows beautiful herb-rich, diverse grass. Here the meadow birds can more easily access the food in the soil and these puddle-drats serve as foraging areas. Can you see the meadow birds foraging for food?
Meadow bird farms
Since 2020, two dedicated meadow bird farms have been established in Waterland-East. These are farms that have been actively working for meadow birds for many years. These two farms are given 15-year management contracts, giving them the chance to make a difference in the long term as well.
One of these farms is the farm of Cees Hardebol from Broek in Waterland. Cees has a farm in the Belmermeer with boarding stables for horses (Stal Baco). He also has sheep, beef cattle and rents out whisper boats.
Since childhood, Cees has had a great affinity for meadow birds. His father was already actively involved and Cees was kindled by him. He makes sure his plots, some 20 hectares, near the farm are all set up for meadow birds. He is installing a fox grid, has raised his water level, is spreading rough manure, has sown herb-rich grassland and has set up a number of ditch puddle terraces. Also, some plots have a rest period with delayed mowing in the breeding season while on other plots extensive grazing is practised. All these measures create the mosaic management that is so important for meadow birds.
And it shows because they love coming here. Regular visitors include black-tailed godwit, lapwing, redshank, oystercatcher, wagtail, yellow wagtail, snipe and skylark. Have you seen them around the puddle-wash or above the field?
Reformed Church of Zuiderwoude
The church of Zuiderwoude is a national monument and was recently restored in 2 phases. The church was built in 1877. The showpiece is the beautiful 17th-century pulpit from the previous church building.
Reformed Church of Zuiderwoude
The church of Zuiderwoude is a national monument and was recently restored in 2 phases. The church was built in 1877. The showpiece is the beautiful 17th-century pulpit from the previous church building.
Since 2007, the church has owned a monumental organ from 1863. During the summer months, the church is open for visits.
History
The church is central to the village. A chapel is said to have stood on the site of the current church as early as the 11th century, which was lost in an attack by Spanish troops in 1573. A new church was built in 1624, but was largely destroyed by fire in 1714. It was not until 1877 that another church was built. That building still stands today; it was renovated in 2004.
Services
Celebrations are on Sundays at 10am.
Culture in the church
The Catharina Foundation - Church and Culture Working Group Zuiderwoude is responsible for cultural events in and from the church. Various gatherings, performances or concerts are organised by the Catherine Foundation. Check out the website for'Culture in the church Zuiderwoude'.
Ducks
We all know the mallard duck from ditches, parks and ponds in your neighbourhood. But many other unusual duck species live in the Netherlands.
Ducks
We all know the mallard duck from ditches, parks and ponds in your neighbourhood. But many other unusual duck species live in the Netherlands.
Some ducks, like the tufted duck or teal, are even considered primary pasture birds because they breed mainly on grasslands. Will you find them all on your bike ride?
Tufted Duck
When you see this species of duck, you understand the name right away! These birds have a characteristic crest on the back of their heads. The crest of the brown-coloured females is shorter than that of the black and white males. Also striking are the bright yellow eyes of these ducks. When they extend their wings, you can see the white stripe that runs across the flight feathers. These ducks can also be recognised by their sound: Males make high-pitched whistling, gurgling and trilling sounds while courting. Females make a low "raah-raah". The tufted ducks you find in the Netherlands in winter have come over from central and northern Europe. The crested ducks that do migrate to warmer places leave around September and return around April.
Gadwall
The gadwall already looks more like the duck we know from cities, parks and ditches. This is not surprising, as the gadwall is closely related to this wild duck. The females, in particular, closely resemble the mallard duck females. Yet there are a few points to distinguish them: the white transom, the white belly and the orange bill. Males have a brown head and a black abdomen with a light brown tail tip, otherwise they are grey with fine markings. The shoulder feathers are remarkably long and it has a grey-black bill. Male squat ducks make high-pitched feep sounds during courtship, alternating with a dry "è". Females make snatches. In winter, gadwall migrate south.
Shoveler duck
You may not easily come across the Shoveler in Waterland. Since the 1960s its numbers have declined significantly, seriously enough to end up on the red list of breeding birds. But they are still around, and when you spot them, they are beautiful to behold! Males have a bright green head, white breast and chestnut-brown belly and flanks. If you see them flying, you may be able to see the light blue inside of the forewing. Also characteristic is the broad, flat, spatula-shaped beak with which the Shoveler efficiently slobbers duckweed and aquatic animals. Male shovelers make a strange, low guttural sound, but females have a distinctive double croak. The shoveler arrives in the Netherlands from March and leaves again between September and October.
Garganey
The garganey is also a vulnerable species in the Netherlands. Its numbers have declined by as much as 90% since the 1950s. This puts the garganey on the red list of endangered bird species. Males have a purple-brown head with a distinctive white bow running from their eye across their neck. The breast is brown with an unusual pattern, the flanks are finely grey banded and the shoulder feathers are black and white with some blue. The male has a distinctive dry, short, croaky call, a little frog-like. Female has a high-pitched croak. The summer teal can be found between March/April and July in the Netherlands.
Peereboom
Compared to Opperwoud and west of Dijkeinde, Peereboom is a smaller area. The aim here is to create an inner dike wet landscape to make the area more involved with the outer waters of the Markerkmeer.
Peereboom
Compared to Opperwoud and west of Dijkeinde, Peereboom is a smaller area. The aim here is to create an inner dike wet landscape to make the area more involved with the outer waters of the Markerkmeer.
This way, you create dynamics, food and a good habitat for fish and birds.
Together with the farmer working in this area, we are looking at what temporary flooding of this area can do for biodiversity. This would mean flooding the plots for a maximum of three to six weeks a year, so that fish can lay their eggs here. Approximately from February to April, depending on weather conditions, during your bike ride you can no longer see the grass of the Peereboom area, but there is a large pond. After April, the water level naturally drops back to below ground level to make the plots suitable for agricultural activities again. This flooding (inundation) is done with fish-friendly pumps.
Robust nature also requires healthy water of good quality. To improve the water quality over time, ditches are dredged, banks are landscaped or restored, ditches and connections are improved and the water system is regularly flushed with cleaner water from the Markermeer. This connection to the Markermeer runs through the De Nes area.
Optional: Do you like to go bird watching? A few hundred metres away you will find the bird viewpoint over the Gouwzee. Especially in winter, this is an oasis for tens of thousands of birds such as tufted ducks, pochards and common goldeneyes.
Continue your bike ride towards junction 57 in Zuiderwoude.
Bird viewpoint Gouwzee
From this vantage point, there are great views over the Gouwzee (the Markermeer lake).
Bird viewpoint Gouwzee
From this vantage point, there are great views over the Gouwzee (the Markermeer lake).
Especially in winter, it is a haven for tens of thousands of birds such as tufted duck, pochard and common goldeneye. In late summer and early autumn, dozens of crowned ducks roost on the Gouwzee.
The Nes
As you can see here, the entire De Nes area lies outside the dike. This makes it an ideal area, like Peereboom, to set up as flood land. Because the area is in direct contact ...
The Nes
As you can see here, the entire De Nes area lies outside the dike. This makes it an ideal area, like Peereboom, to set up as flood land. Because the area is in direct contact with the Markermeer, fish can easily find their way to lay their eggs here. In addition, the area serves as a connecting link between Peereboom and the Markermeer.
As in Peereboom, De Nes is partly flooded for three to six weeks in early spring. In some parts, the water is only let in up to ground level. This creates a mosaic of drier and wetter spots. Fish (mainly pike) like to lay their eggs in flooded grasslands. In addition, the grass dies temporarily in the higher level, only to grow back strongly when the water is dry. The dying grass is good food for worms, which come to the surface due to the humidity. When the water level drops naturally again, these worms form a perfect meal for the meadow birds. This makes De Nes a fine resting and foraging area for (meadow) birds.
Throughout the year, but especially in spring, you can spot many different species of birds here. Are you curious which species can be seen here? Then cycle on and read about the species of meadow birds you can find in Waterland.
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