Holiday apartment in Opmeer: cycle paths, waterways and history

Opmeer combines rural paths, historic landmarks and an extensive network of waterways. Its character is shaped by cycling routes through polder landscapes, the Rundveemuseum Aat Grootes in a farmhouse built in 1857, churches dating from earlier centuries and leisure activities with seasonal opening hours.

Nature and paths

Before the Wieringermeer was created, Aartswoud was located directly on the Zuiderzee. The orange Koningspadroute starts there; it is 6.18 kilometres long and partly runs along unpaved paths. The Doortraproute Opmeer is a 27-kilometre rural cycling route through the villages and countryside of the municipality of Opmeer. This route passes the Bedijkte Boezem area, which attracts many birds because of its low water level.

The Tussen Hoorn en Heerhugowaard cycling route also leads through a polder landscape. It passes De Kaagmolen and also leads past De Westerveer. De Westerveer is a polder windmill, adding a distinctive landmark to the scenic route.

Culture and history

In Aartswoud, the Rundveemuseum Aat Grootes preserves old Dutch cattle breeds threatened with extinction through purebred breeding. The museum includes an educational centre dedicated to old cattle breeds, dairy farming and rural life. By appointment, it offers guided tours for groups of six or more.

Hoogwoud brings together several historic buildings. The Hervormde Kerk Hoogwoud was rebuilt in 1680 on the site of a Gothic church. The octagonal structure of Molen Lastdrager dates from 1522 and is probably the oldest octagonal windmill structure in the Netherlands. The Willemshoeve is a Rijksmonument in the form of a large stolp farm complex. In ’t Kerkhuys, the church bell bears an inscription referring to Boniface and dating from 1519.

In Spanbroek, the Wipbrug has survived as an example of the historic drawbridges found in the West Frisian landscape. The Museumboerderij West Frisia is located in a farmhouse built in 1857. Ons Buitenverblijf in Hoogwoud displays old carts, wagons, agricultural machinery and farming equipment; some objects there are more than 100 years old. The Theaterkerk Wadway presents music, theatre, cabaret and special stage performances. The Rosarium De Rozenhof can be visited daily from 1 June until the end of November.

Water and leisure

The Passantenvoorziening De Wijzend in Spanbroek has a boat-trailer ramp, mooring jetties, motorhome pitches and a car park. From there, boats can reach the interconnected waterways of Noord-Holland via the Ringvaart van Heerhugowaard. When renting a boat from Botenverhuur Opmeer, visitors receive a map with suitable boating routes. The canoe rental service at De Gouw campsite provides access to the West Frisian boating network for canoe trips. From this canoe rental service, Medemblik can be reached without having to portage the canoe.

Zwembad ’t Woudmeer is open during the 2026 season from 3 May to 13 September. The swimming pool complex includes a children's playground, a sandpit with play equipment and a water table. The large playing field has a football cage, table tennis tables and a volleyball net. In Spanbroek, Farmsurvival offers farm games for family and group outings at a dairy farm. Stal Hoogwoud teaches recreational and sport-oriented riders the basics of riding skills and horse care.

If you would like to open more local pages, you can find Opmeer, Aartswoud, Hoogwoud and De Weere here.

For the higher-level travel overview: North Holland.

More destinations

More places in the same destination:

Heemstede, Langedijk, Enkhuizen, Graft-De Rijp.