Discover Ritthem: Fort Rammekens, Dike and Salt Marsh

A holiday apartment in Ritthem opens the door to a stay among a sea fortress, dike paths and distinctive coastal nature. Fort Rammekens, Rammekenshoek and the Inundatiemonument give the village a distinctive profile. For families who want to combine culture with activity, historical discoveries, a hiking route, waterside paths and nature observation can be combined here to create varied holiday days.

Holiday apartment in Ritthem amid fort and history

Fort Rammekens near Ritthem is the oldest sea fort in Western Europe. It was built between 1547 and 1552 on the orders of Mary of Hungary, the sister of Charles V. Its purpose was to monitor the shipping route to Middelburg and Antwerp. Its construction history makes a visit a tangible way to engage with the region’s past.

The Inundatiemonument stands on the beach near Ritthem. It commemorates the Allied bombing of German positions at the mouth of the Scheldt, which destroyed the Nolledijk near Vlissingen on 7 October 1944 and caused the area to flood. The monument is a six-metre-high, incomplete and damaged stone column made of individual concrete blocks.

Near Ritthem, a tank wall built in 1942, with machine-gun positions in Tobruks and remnants of an anti-tank ditch, forms part of the Landfront Vlissingen complex. Also built in 1942 at Rammekensweg 5 was the Regelbau 502-type personnel accommodation structure. It is part of the Landfront Vlissingen complex within the Eschwege resistance nest. Ritthem’s church was damaged in the conflict between the Spanish and the Geuzen; its restoration continued until 1611.

Rammekenshoek, salt marsh and waterside paths

Rammekenshoek covers approximately 80 hectares. Near Fort Rammekens, outside the dike, lies Walcheren’s (still) only salt marsh. This area, created by the sea, includes tidal creeks, muddy margins, salt-loving plants and breeding coastal birds such as redshanks, oystercatchers and Kentish plovers. This means that, alongside culture, Ritthem also brings a nature experience within easy reach.

Rammekenshoek is one of the nature reserves on Walcheren. These areas are accessible year-round, except for sensitive sections that are closed to the public. Some parts of Rammekenshoek have off-leash dog areas; dogs may run free there year-round under control and on the paths. If you are travelling with a dog, this information is just as relevant to planning your day as respecting the closed areas.

Cycling and hiking around Ritthem

Fort Rammekens can be reached from Vlissingen by bicycle via the sea dike along the Westerschelde or via Ritthem along the Ritthemsestraat. The fort is also located on the ANWB cycle-node network. The ANWB hiking route “Uitwaaien op Walcheren” starts at Fort Rammekens. If you arrive by public transport, you can start at Vlissingen railway station; this extends the route by 4.3 kilometres. From Ritthem, you can return to Vlissingen on foot or by bicycle via the dike. When choosing your holiday apartment in Ritthem, you can therefore consider whether the focus should be on the fort and culture, observing nature, or active days on hiking and cycling paths.

Other places to include in your plans

For further planning on Walcheren, you can also include Vlissingen and Oost-Souburg.

Back to the higher-level travel overview: Vlissingen.