2 1 Start in Zeewolde at the ¤ The willow groves, Flevoland from parking lot for the Harder- grasslands and reed beds on The reclamation of haven/restaurant De Proe- the right of the dike belong Flevoland coast to coast verij Har dersluis. Bike onto to the Harderbroek nature The province of Flevoland the bicycle path and then reserve. This is a wet para- consists of several polders turn left under the rounda- dise for swamp birds like the that were created in what bout. At bicycle point 29 reed bunting, the bluethroat, was once the Zuiderzee. go to 23. the reed warbler and the With the construction rare bittern – only a deep of the Afsluit dijk (1932), ¡ The biggest man-made whoemp betrays its presence this inland sea was island in the world? That’s on quiet evenings. For a transformed into the in the Netherlands and it’s lovely panoramic view, stop IJsselmeer. Following this, called the Flevopolder. The at the Biezenburcht, a small the Noordoostpolder island measures 970 km2 but striking building at the was reclaimed (1942). and it was built in two side of the dike. Stairs lead Then Oostelijk Flevoland phases between 1950 to an observation platform; (1950-1957) and Zuidelijk and 1968 (see insert). The and in the afternoons, freshly Flevoland (1959-1968) engineers had a good reason brewed coffee is available. were surrounded by dikes to give the new polder the (De Biezenburcht, Knar dijk 40, and dredged. Together, form of an island. The pre- 3898 LV Zeewolde, www. these two areas form the viously created Noordoost- debiezenburcht.nl, Tue.-Sun. Flevopolder. polder (1942) was attached 12.00-19.00) to the old mainland, and that caused problems: the Bicycle to 24 and 25. old land dried out because IJsselmeer Noordoost- polder groundwater flowed to £ The nearly 23-km long (1942) the lower lying new polder. Knardijk cuts through the Markermeer Such a problem could not be Flevopolder from coast to Oostelijk Flevoland repeated on an island. A nar- coast. For more than 10 years, (1957) row strip of water, known as this was the outer dike of Zuidelijk en er Flevoland ndm Ra the Randmeren, separates Oostelijk Flevoland (right). (1968) the Flevopolder from the After Zuidelijk Flevoland had Along the Randmeren mainland. These lakes are been drained, the Knardijk now a wonderful recrea- functioned as a sleeper dike: tion area for swimmers, in case of flooding, this dike surfers and sailors. The lake had to keep the other half that can be closed in case of behind the tall dike is called of the Flevopolder dry – and emergency. The name Knar- The province of Flevoland consists of two polders: the Noordoostpolder Wolderwijd, a name that that’s not an unnecessary dijk refers to the Knar, a sand and the Flevopolder. The Flevopolder is the largest man-made island in the was invented by the writer luxury considering that ridge that was inhabited as world. Where once the waves of the Zuiderzee splashed, an entirely new Godfried Bomans (a member the bottom of the polder is early as the middle Stone Age piece of land was constructed between 1942 and 1968. Since then tall dikes of the name committee of between 5 to 6 metres below (ca. 10,500 BC). In the course have protected a broad landscape of grasslands, fields and woods. Hop on Zuidelijk Flevo land). The sea level. At the two places of the Middle Ages, the your bike and explore Flevoland from coast to coast. And discover the small islands in the Wolder- where the Knardijk is crossed Zuiderzee covered the ridge, surprises that this new land has in store for you. wijd mostly function as by a waterway, there are turning the Knar into a dan- nature reserves. locks with sturdy floodgates gerous shallows for sailors. 2 Bicycle to 45. landed on the wet mudflats. ¶ The Oostvaardersveld Bicycle to 46 and 47. ring dike around Oostelijk The space in between them They grew into untamed functions as a sort of display Flevoland were transported was filled with sand, after ∞ Not everything in the woods where nature can window for the Oostvaar- ¢ The low dike at the to several working harbours. which the dike was further new polder has been take its course. Follow the dersplassen (see •). The Vogel weg is a remainder of That was an enormous strengthened with fascine planned. The willow reserve walking trail to get a look at Oostvaardersplassen them- the Knarhaven, a working undertaking: the soft under- mat tresses made of wicker, to the left of the dike began this willow wilderness. selves are hardly accessible, harbour dating from the ground had to be removed basalt blocks, cement and spontaneously after recla- but bicyclists and hikers time when the polders were and the bottom hardened. asphalt. Once the entire ring mation. Millions of willow Bicycle to 8. are welcome in this nature reclaimed. Materials needed Then two clay dams were dike had been closed, the seeds from the wicker used preserve. Paths wind along to construct the 90-km long built parallel to each other. polder could be pumped dry. to strengthen the dikes § Even from a distance, the ponds, reed beds, copses and Tong van Lucifer is visible, a birdwatchers’ huts – a sort of creation made by the artist miniature Oostvaardersplas- Lelystad Ruud van de Wint (1942- sen. With luck, passers-by Markermeer N309 2006) in 1993. The work can spot Konik horses, red 10 11 25 consists of a basked con- deer and Heck cattle, which 88 87 9 86 struction of steel wrapped can all can reach this area via 26 in copper wire. The oxidation a passageway in the railway 24 13 of the copper resulted in the dike. For the best views, turn N701 27 characteristic green of the left at bicycle point 20 and 59 14 12 artwork. When deciding on continue on the Praamweg 23 15 85 a name, Van de Wint was for a bit. Hollandse Hout 92 inspired by the form: he • Buitencentrum 91 16 thought that the creation The resembled the tongue of Oostvaardersplassen Grote Plas Keersluis- 84 plas 8 Lucifer (the fallen angel who provides visitors with much 20 became the devil) as it pro- more information about the 7 08 vokingly points to heaven. He Oostvaardersplassen, an 82 17 had hoped that the artwork unspoilt nature reserve that Oostvaardersplassen 6 would be struck and trans- spontaneously came into 45 51 A6 formed by lightning, but this existence after the creation still hasn’t happened. of Zuidelijk Flevoland. This is what the Netherlands Bicycle to 20 and 23. must have looked like a 5 5453 Kotterbos 47 4 56 63 46 64 Starting point 03 Parking lot at restaurant 18 % Route De Proeverij Hardersluis 02 The bicycle route is 60 km Harderhaven 32 06 25 3 N302 01 long and thus especially 3898 LN Zeewolde N706 Veluwemeer suit­­able for e-bikes. You can www.deproeverijharder use the numbered bicycle sluis.nl 19 24 2 START 35 points to shorten the route (next to the rotary in 23 29 if desired. the N302) 1 Harderwijk 0 1 2 km Wolderwijd 3 few thousand years ago. Bicycle to 24 and 25. built in 1950 in the middle of pumps at Gemaal Wortman immense amounts of sand; Generally speaking, the the IJsselmeer. This was the in operation. Together with the first inhabitants arrived nature reserve consists of a ª The Knardijk ends at first step in creating Oostelijk two other pumping stations, in September 1967. But wet and a dry area. From the the Markermeer. Plans to Flevoland. The island was including Gemaal Lovink people weren’t enthusiastic. terrace of the visitors’ centre reclaim this lake were never the site of storage sheds, a (see 1(), the new polder was Connections for travel to and while enjoying a cup of realized. However, since 2016 kitchen and wooden barracks reclaimed in nine months. It the old land were poor and coffee, you have a view of a smaller project has been for the workers and their then took another few years there was uncertainty about rippling waves and rustling underway: the Marker Wad- families. In 1952 and 1953 the before what had once been the construction of the reeds. To reach the dry area, den. Diagonally right, behind barracks were replaced by the ocean floor was suitable Markerwaard. In addition, follow the walking paths the horizon, five islands are the stone houses that are still for use. Lelystad was overshadowed to some of the observation being created. They are pri- standing. From this work is- by Almere in the 1980s. The huts that face the endless marily intended for nature to land – and from islands near Bicycle to 26 27 92 and 91. turning point came in the grasslands, home to Heck take its course, but there will Elburg and Harderwijk (the 1990s when well-known cattle with their enormous also be room for recreation Harderhaven, the starting 1@ The Hollandse Hout architects were hired to horns and where mating red on the main island. point for this route) – two consists of a completely give the city an identity of deer bucks fight for a hind in thousand workers worked for different landscape: no its own and to restructure the autumn. 1) The stone barracks to the six years on the ring dike. more endless fields and the ‘old’ neighbourhoods. (Buitencentrum Oostvaar- left of bicycle point 25 are panoramic skies, but the Lelystad now has about dersplassen, Kitsweg 1, 8218 the oldest houses of Ooste- 1! On 13 September 1956, protection of a thick woods.