Johans Kayak Site   www.kanoroutes.nl

Almere
CONTENT

A round trip of 16 or 25 km.

Kayak rentals:

Starting point Grote Brekkenstraat (Waterwijk Oost)

Take the A6 to Almere. Exit at Ring N702. Follow the N702 and take exit 17 Waterwijk Oost. At the T-junction you turn right and then you turn right again across the bridge. In the corner of the Grote Brekkenstraat is a good starting point. There is a bike-bridge across the canal that takes you to the portage point on the Madisonpad.

Starting point at the boatramp near Camping Waterhout

Take the A6 to Almere. Exit at Ring N702. Follow the N702 and take exit 16 Noorder Plassen Oost. At the roundabout you turn right on the Von Draisweg. After a bridge you turn left on the Trekvogelweg. A little further you see a parking place on your left. The boatramp is on the left. There is a pier where you can launch your kayak.

From the Madisonpad you head north to the Noorderplassen. Cross the lake to the island where Camping Waterhout is located. You pass the camping on the left. Take the second canal to the left and navigate around the two islands. When you return on the great lake you turn right. You head west and go straight across the lake. On the left you see a marina. Pass the small island and go straight on towards the houses. In the corner of the lake on your left you enter the canal. At the locks Beatrixsluis are good kayak piers on both sides. It is possible to go through the locks. The operate fully automatic after you press a button. It takes more time though. After the locks you go straight on at the next intersection. You pass a park and you keep going straight on. At the next intersection you go straight on and follow the bend to the left. At the Kolkplein in the city center follow the bend to the right. After a short distance you come at the Weerwater. You cross the lake left passed the peninsula with the high voltage mast. Then you can turn left passed the beach Lumièrestrand for a route of 16 km.

For a route of 25 km. to Almere-Haven you go straight on all the way across the lake. You enter the canal on the other side and go under highway A6. When you come at the locks you can portage or press the button to operate the locks. At the T-junction you turn right and then right again. You have to portage at a weir to enter the canal through De Marken. This is a residential area and a small forest. Follow the bends. After another portage at a weir you turn left. Take the second canal to the left and pass the locks again. On the lake Weerwater you head for the beach Lumièrestrand. Just before the beach you turn right under the bridge Lumièrestrandbrug.

After the Lumièrestrandbrug you turn left. You pass 4 sidecanals and then follow the bend to the right. At the T-junction you turn left. Follow the canal under the railwaystation and you come at the lake Leeghwaterplas. You go straight across the lake. Across the lake head north into the canal. A little furhter you come at a small lake and you're back at the starting point.

GPS
Grote Brekkenstraat: N. 52.3908 E. 5.2279.
Boat ramp Trekvogelweg: N. 52.4009 E. 5.2272.
The passage from the Weerwater to Almere Haven is closed. Also from the canal you can not navigate to the Weerwater (situation June 2021).

Downloadable GPS-track of Almere (24.9 km): Almere.

Camping Waterhout.

Forest north of the Noorderplassen.

Giek at the Noorderplassen.

Canal to the locks Beatrix Sluis.

Swan family.

Kolkplein.

Blok 16 The Wave.

Portage point to the kayakroute De Marken in Almere-Haven.

De Marken.

Beach Lumièrestrand.

Lumièrestrandbrug.

Almere is the newest and the biggest town of the province Flevoland (187.000 inhabitants). Also it is the fastest growing city in Europe. In 1968 South Flevoland (west of Lelystad) was reclaimed from the sea, or actually from the IJsselmeer. In 1976 the Houtribdijk between Enkhuizen and Lelystad was built and the Markermeer was separated from the IJsselmeer. In the same year the first houses of Almere were built.