Holiday apartment in Koudekerk aan den Rijn: Paths, Polders and History
Accommodation in Koudekerk aan den Rijn
Holiday apartment in Koudekerk aan den Rijn: Paths, Polders and History
Around Koudekerk aan den Rijn, paths through the landscape meet traces of history. The Hondsdijkroute is a 7.2-kilometre circular walking route that starts in Koudekerk aan den Rijn.
Rondje Koudekerk is considered suitable for people with visual impairments and wheelchair users. The walk starts at the Dierenweide and follows an atmospheric avenue lined with pollard willows towards Lagewaard. It also runs along a nature-friendly waterfront with a wide variety of plants.
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Photo: Wouter Gerbscheid via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Walking Along the Waterfront
Brugkerk, Bridge and Traces of the Past
Brugkerk, which was called St Nicholas Church when it was first built, is the oldest monument in Koudekerk and the municipality of Alphen aan den Rijn. It was founded around the 10th century AD.
At Bruggestraat 7 stands a mechanical drawbridge of the Amsterdam type. It was built over the Oude Rijn in 1929, is located at the entrance to Koudekerk’s old village centre and replaced a double-leaf bascule bridge dating from 1876.
The farmsteads and the burial ground in Koudekerk are also considered the first signs of human presence in the Rijnstreek after the Romans left. The site of the first excavations near the little tower of Groot Poelgeest can be seen from Dorpsstraat in Koudekerk aan den Rijn.
What remains of Groot Poelgeest is a round castle site surrounded by a moat, as well as the polygonal western gate tower. The island of Groot Poelgeest can be reached by a hand-operated ferry across the grounds of the Poelgeest farm at Lagewaard 1.
From Lagewaard in Koudekerk aan den Rijn or from Ruigekade, you can look out over the excavation site to the left of Hondsdijkse Molen. An information board explains how people lived here in the early Middle Ages.
Windmill and Farmhouse Culture
Hondsdijkse Molen was built at its current location in 1693, after a mill dating from 1644 had been acquired from Leiden. It operated until 1959 to drain the Hondsdijkse Polder.
The Westdorp farm complex is a largely well-preserved farm dating from the late 19th century. It consists of a longhouse characteristic of the Rijnstreek, a summer house and a barn. Westdorp is part of a historically valuable strip of farms along the Oude Rijn.
Polder Views for Cyclists and Nature Lovers
The cycle path along Mattenkade, Ruigekade and Batelaan offers several rest areas and wide views over the polders north of the Oude Rijn. The polders along Mattenkade and Ruigekade are considered a paradise for hares.
Other Places
Other places include Hazerswoude-Dorp and Hazerswoude-Rijndijk.
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