Utrecht Path

Leg 11
SP13 Maarssen to Utrecht

March 2025

Crossing into North Holland at Hollandsche Rading

Monday afternoon, around half past twelve, we were back at the station in Hollandsche Rading for a new leg of the Utrecht path, which this time also passes through the province of North Holland. The Hollandsche Rading, which translates to Hollandse Border, marks the provincial border between Utrecht and Holland, a border that has been in existence since the 13th century.

We quickly entered the forests of North Holland. The Goois Nature Reserve is an area around Hilversum that has been protected since 1932. We walked through the reserve’s several forests named De Zuid, Natuurbrug Zwaluwenberg, and Zwarte Berg. At the Hoorneboegse Heide, the forests vanished, revealing vast, rolling heathlands.

We met Ahimsa, the resting cow, a beautiful work of art. She is a temporary guest on the Hoorneboegse Heide. At the Zwarte Berg, we saw some cows roaming around in the wild. Along the Tienhovensch Kanaal, we left the nature reserve and North Holland behind us and returned to the province of Utrecht.

From Forests to Polders

The landscape immediately changed. No more hilly forests, sandhills, or heathlands, but a flat polder landscape with lakes and expansive views.

We walked through the Tienhovense Plassen, a nature reserve managed by Natuurmonumenten. At one point, we crossed a narrow dike with water bodies on both sides: the Tienhovense Plas, with its land strips and peat-cutting remnants (known as ‘pull holes’), and on the other side, the Breukeleveensche Plas.

"Town Hall Beer" Bubbling up from The Ground

We passed the picturesque village of Tienhoven and entered the Bethune polder. A work of art indicates that the land was approximately 4.6 meters higher than it was 1,000 years ago. The Bethune polder is a seepage polder where 1000 liters of very clean water bubbles up every second, amounting to 34 million cubic meters annually. Of every three liters of drinking water (nicknamed Town Hall Beer) in Amsterdam and its surroundings, one liter comes from this polder.

The Oude Gemaal Bethunepolder, built in 1860 for the drainage of the Bethunepolder, is a national monument that remains functional and serves as a backup today.

From Polders to Elegant Estates

The river Vecht brought us back to an urban landscape. We followed the river’s winding path, admiring the display of country houses and estates, each more stunning than the last. Many of these magnificent properties were constructed for wealthy Amsterdam merchants during the 17th and 18th centuries. Our journey ended in the charming heart of Maarssen, where we boarded a bus to the Utrecht train station.

I finished my favorite leg of the Utrecht path feeling grateful to live in a country as small as the Netherlands. Although it is a small spot on this planet, our country is blessed with incredible landscapes, rich historical depth, and a deep appreciation for cultural beauty.

Date

Monday, March 10, 2025

Distance

11.84 miles
19.05 km

Moving Time

3:57:56 hrs

Weather

15 °C, sun,
light breeze