kayak route Loosdrecht

Kayak rentals:

Huur een bootje.nl, Laan van Nifterlake 99, 3612 BP Tienhoven. Tel. 0346-281097.
Manten Loosdrecht, Oud-Loosdrechtsedijk 204, Oud-Loosdrecht. Tel. 035-5824551.

Twee routes

Route of 18.9 km. from the Hilversums Kanaal to the Vuntus.
Route of 21.5 km from De Strook across the big lakes.

Route of 18.9 km.

Vuntus

Downloadable GPS-track of 18.9 km.: Vuntus.

Starting point near the Hilversums Kanaal, near Het Hol.

Exit the highway Amsterdam-Utrecht at the N201 in the direction Hilversum.
At Kortenhoef you turn right in the direction Jachthavens Zuid.
After a bend to the right there are parking places on the right.
Opposite the parking places there is a kayak-pier at the canal.

From the kayak pier you go to the left and then turn left under the bridge. At the Hilversums Kanaal you turn right and follow the canal for 2.5 km. Turn right under the bridge on the 's-Gravelandse Vaart. After a short distance you come at the locks. You can pass through the locks, the buttons to operate them are rather high. Portage passed the locks is also possible. It's not possible to start the trip here, as parking places are for permit-holders only, and customers of the garden center. After the locks you turn right on the Raaisloot. There is a walking-route along the canal (bikes are not allowed). At the end you come at a small lake with a wooden building. You head left and then you turn left again to follow the marked Vuntus-route. The signs will guide you across the lakes. Then you come at a canal that leads back to the Raaisloot. Here you turn left. You come at the lake with the wooden building again. Now you follow the route to the right. At the end of the route you are on the lake Vuntus. You cross the lake and head east along Oud-Loosdrecht. You can turn right along a small beach for a narrow passage to the Eerste Plas (one way). At the lake there can be waves if the wind is wrong or people enjoy racing their fast boats. Turn left on the lake and follow the side with the woods. You turn sharp left towards the entrance of the canal Drecht. You follow the canal to the end, where it bends to the left to the 's-Gravelandse Vaart. At the end of the 's-Gravelandse Vaart you pass the locks and turn left back to the starting-point.

Route of 21.5 km (no portages).

There are 3 rather short marked routes in the eastern part of the Loosdrechtse Plassen area:

From De Strook near Tienhoven to the Stille Plas. This only goes on the Tienhovens Kanaal, a shallow canal with at the end of the summer a lot of weeds growing in the water. De Stille Plas (Silent Lake) is named like this because of the narrow entrances only small boats can come here.
Oud-Loosdrecht route: A route that goes clockwise around Oud-Loosdrecht with startingpoints at the boat rentals.
A route marked with numbered blue poles in the swamp forest Vuntus. Starting points at the boat rentals.

I combined the routes to a big route of 21.5 km. It goes across the big lake Eerste Plas, so this is only suitable for a quiet day, preferrably with eastern wind. Avoid busy Sundays and Holidays or keep close to the sides, because the lake may become rather crowded with fast sailing boats. It is advisable to wear a life-jacket and have extra buoyancy.

Starting point is at recreation area De Strook near Tienhoven.

Exit the A2 (Amsterdam - Utrecht) at Breukelen. You pass the bridge across the Amsterdam-Rijn-Kanaal and at the roundoubout you take the second exit to the center of Breukelen. Follow the signs in the direction Scheendijk and Tienhoven. A very narrow street leads towards the bridge across the Vecht. Then you turn right and drive along the Vecht until you see sign Tienhoven, where you turn left. You drive along the Tienhovens Kanaal and pass the fortress Tienhoven. Then after a short distance you see the restaurant at the Strook on your left. The kayak pier is just left across the bridge.

From the starting point you head east on the Tienhovensch Kanaal. After 1.3 km you come at the Stille Plas (Silent Lake). On this lake only small boats have access. You head north straight across the lake and you pass a little island (just a pile of stones and one dead tree). The passage through Muyeveld to the next lake is just a little to the right from the island. At the bridge a sign warns you for waves. These may not only be caused by the wind, but also by fast sailing motor yachts and speedboats. You go straight on and head for the passage between the eastern shore and the small island. Straight ahead you see another stretch of land opposite the island Robinson Crusoë. A sign indicates where the canal to the 's-Gravelandse Vaart begins. This canal is named Drecht. It has many side-canals, but you keep going straight on. This canal is part of the Oud-Loosdrecht Route. After a bend to the right you see a kayak pier on your right. A little further on you turn left on the 's-Gravelandse Vaart. At Oud-Loosdrecht you go under a bridge. A little further you turn left on the Kromme Rade. This is a straight and narrow canal. At the end you come at a small lake. Here you turn left at sign number 10 of the Vuntus-route. After a short distance you turn left at sign number 4. Follow the marked Vuntus Route signs 4 to 10 and then your back on the small lake. Follow the canal to the left again and turn right at sign 11. Follow the Vuntus Route until you come at the lake Vuntus. You go straight across towards Oud-Loosdrecht. The passage to the Eerste Plas is to the left just passed the beach and boat-rental place Bonnema. After you went under the bridge you come at the large lake Eerste Plas. You go straight on and pass the entrance of the Drecht (were you were before). You go straight on towards Muyeveld. The passage to the Stille Plas is just left of the sailing club. Then you go straight across the Stille Plas to the entrance to the Tienhovens Kanaal just left of the white house. Follow the Tienhovensch Kanaal to the starting point.