Albrandswaard combines green polder landscapes, historic places and diverse routes around the Oude Maas. The Rhoonse Grienden, Rhoon Castle and the various cycling and hiking routes particularly shape the character of the municipality. The combination of nature observation, regional history and cultural events creates a wide range of impressions.Rhoon
The landscape can be explored on short trails as well as on longer routes through Albrandswaard.
Culture and History
Rhoon Castle is a Rijksmonument, a national heritage monument, and is of great cultural and historical significance. At the same time, it is considered a historic landmark of Albrandswaard. Rhoon Castle was built around 1432 by the Van Duivelandt family. After several floods and fires, it acquired its present form in 1598.
The castle can be visited as part of the foundation’s cultural activities and during regularly scheduled guided tours. The Rhoon Castle Foundation also offers a varied annual programme featuring theatre, cabaret, music and exhibitions. From the cemetery in Rhoon, visitors can enjoy a view of the church and the castle.
Poortugaal also has a remarkable historic building: the village church is a Gothic cruciform church whose present form was built in the 15th century. The Oudheidkamer Rhoon en Poortugaal is open on Monday and Saturday afternoons from 2 to 5 p.m.
Nature
The Rhoonse Grienden are among the last freshwater tidal wetlands with willow stands in the Netherlands. Beavers have built their lodges in this area. There is also a wheelchair-accessible route.
The 2.5-kilometre Jungleroute leads through the willow jungle of Klein Profijt and is a hiking trail through the willow jungle. Its highlights include beavers, spindotter, vines, summer snowflake, salmon in the river, damselflies, a silt depot and a duck decoy. Klein Profijt can be reached from Rhoon by bicycle via the Oude Maaspad.
Another connection through the landscape is the “Groene lint langs de Oude Maas” route. It follows winding paths through the Rhoonse and Carnisse Grienden and through the willow jungle of Klein Profijt. The Vossenpad also runs along the dike. Farmers have opened this hiking trail to visitors so that they can experience the polder landscape. Albrandswaard has green polders that form the scenic setting for several routes.
Routes
The “Terug in de tijd” liberation route connects special places in Albrandswaard that played an important role during the occupation in the Second World War. Each stop has a QR code providing information about the location in the form of a photo, text or video. On the “Blik op Albrandswaard” route, the Storytrails app provides information about the art, culture and history of Albrandswaard.
Since 2022, the F15 IJsselmonde fast cycle route between Ridderkerk and IJsselmonde has been open for cycling. The Rolf Route through Albrandswaard and Barendrecht is approximately 50 kilometres long in total and can be explored in sections by bicycle or on foot. Information boards along the Rolf Route explain the cultural heritage hidden in the polders through text and images. In addition, Albrandswaard has several cycling routes for exploring the municipality.
The Boerenroute through Buijtenland van Rhoon is approximately 2.5–3 kilometres long; a shorter 1-kilometre version is also possible. The Buijtenroute is a 22.5-kilometre cycling tour for which a shorter version is also available. It can also be completed on foot. A paved section of the Boerenroute is accessible to wheelchair users and pushchairs.
The Buijtenroute has two starting points: De Buytenhof in Rhoon and Restaurant Abel in Poortugaal. At De Buytenhof, visitors can pick apples and pears every year in September and October.
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