Day trips: More Villages in the Netherlands Green Heart

Six kilometres west of Woerden is the famous Meijer area.  Open farmlands, lovely farm houses, grazing cattle and sheep, many swans and along the way tiny villages. Super for cyclists, the surrounding country roads see vintage car Sunday drivers and race bike cyclists fanatics.  The air is fresh, the scenary lovely and there are a few nice cafes/tea houses along the way.  

 

Meijer centre with its church and Blauwe Moon cafe to the left

 

Cycling towards the village centre

 

Pietje Potlood, an old water tower and Meijer Landmark just past the church

 

On the way to the Meijer is Zegveld, a tiny village with similar scenary and a small village church with a few shops and an authentic bakery.  There are many walking routes across the farmlands and maps on the road to tell you which one to take. You can walk right past the sheep, crossing country wooden gates to pass from field to field.  

 

Walking route signposts

 

The village church 

        The traditional village bakery opposite the church 

A common site along country roads 

A personal village funeral 

In the village itself is a Stork Sanctuary with other beautiful ducks and black swans.  The storks leave in November and return in March to breed their young in the huge tall nests on poles, set up for this purpose.  

Storks return after October migration in February/March to lay their eggs and hatch. 

                  Swans at the stork Sanctuary

A few kilometres north, approximately 10,  is the village of Nieuwkoop.  Almost every house here on one side of the road has a characteristic old drawbridge over the canal and a boat parked outside the residence on the water.  The whole route can be cycled of course, or walked or perhaps a bit by car and the rest walked.  There are restaurants along the way and all in all, to see the three mentioned villages could be done in the day with an early start. There are also special boat hires and water trips on the Nieuwkoop lakes, so get moving and happy day-tripping in the countryside!

                 Nieuwkoop centre skyline late October

Spring at water cafe in the centre on the lakes