Cycling along the Oude Rijn River and Vlietland

From Hazerswoude you will start the bicycle route through The Green Heart of the Netherlands. This is a peat meadow area, which means that there is a lot of meadow and peatland. It is even a National Landscape which indicates that there is a combination of three factors: nature, cultural history and agricultural area. The character of this area can be seen in the parcellation which still dates from a time over 1000 years ago. This part of the Green Heart shows irregular block-shaped allotments. In these meadows, birds in particular thrive. You can see and perhaps even hear endangered species such as the black-tailed godwit, lapwing and oystercatcher. You cycle along De Oude Rijn and the Rijn-Schiekanaal and through the Vlietland (also called the Vlietlanden). Recreational lake Vlietland was created by sand mining. Birds have also sought refuge here and found it mainly in Vogelplas Starrevaart. Another recreational lake is the Zoetermeerse Plas where you can also swim. Because it can be up to 30 meters deep, a stream of cold water can pass your legs. After a fine route through the beautiful Green Heart, you can relax at the bar or a table in the Egelantier.