Cycling route along The Lek and the Hollandsche IJssel

From Lekkerkerk your bicycle route along De Lek starts. The river has a length of 62 kilometers. This makes it an important part of the main stream of the Rhine and thus important for shipping between Rotterdam and Germany. You can probably see the necessary ships passing by. The area around Lekkerkerk used to be known for its many hemp crops. This was used to make the ropes in shipping. Today there is mostly cattle breeding and grassland. You drive through the center of Krimpen aan de Lek. On the dike are still houses of 200 years old. Outside the center you pass the Krimpenerhout. This area is part of the Green Heart. You will see marshy areas but also a cow forest, where people are experimenting with spontaneous forest development. A tour around Krimpen aan den IJssel leads you along the Hollandsche IJssel. The polders and grasslands give you a sense of tranquility while still being close to the center of Rotterdam.