kayak route Maarssen

A round trip of 16.8 km through the Bethunepolder, Maarsseveense Zodden, on the Maarsseveense Plas and the Vecht. With an extra tour to Oud Zuilen: 18.6 km.

Kayak rentals

Breukelen: De Eerste Aanleg, Scheendijk 7, Breukelen. Tel.: 0346-261813.

To the starting point Veenkade:

Leave highway A2 (Amsterdam - Utrecht) at exit 5 to Breukelen. In the center you turn left at the roundabout to the Straatweg. Take the second street to the right named Markt. This is a very narrow street. After a bridge you turn right on the Brugstraat. After the bridge across the Vecht you turn right. At the next intersection you turn left in the direction Tienhoven. You pass the fortress and opposite marina Ruimzicht you turn right on the Veenkade. Access is only for destination traffic, but as you transport a kayak you can go on. A little further there is a kayak pier on your right. There is limited parking space along the dead-end road.
As an alternative you can start at the Maarsseveense Plas. On the east-side (Molenpolder) there is a free parking place. It can be busy here. Maximum height is 1.90 m.

From highway A27 (Hilversum - Utrecht) you take exit 32 Bilthoven. Off the highway you go west on the N417. At the roundabout you turn right in the direction Westbroek. At the next roundabout you turn left. You follow the main road through Westbroek and Tienhoven. After a bend to the left you drive along the Tienhovensch Kanaal and you see the lakes of Loosdrecht. Opposite marina Ruimzicht you turn left on the Veenkade.

From the starting point you head south into the Bethunepolder. At the T-junction you turn left. After two bridges you follow the main canal to the left. After 300 meters you turn right. When you come at a white house you turn left. When you come at a road, you follow the canal to the right. At the end of the canal there is a kayak pier. You carry the kayak passed the main road and across the wooden bridge. At the Maarsseveense Zodden there is a floating kayak pier. From here you turn left. The water is shallow. After short distance there is a narrow passage to the next lake. There are several passages for kayaks. When you don't see any more you turn left (nort-west) on the lake. There is one more wider passage to the right, but you skip that one because it's a dead end. At the end of the lake you see houses, and then you turn right. Turn right again, and then turn left. You're now on the canal behind the Maarsseveense Plas. There is a kayak pier at the parking place. A little further the canal makes a bend to the right and you come at the lake. You pass the lake straight on. Across the lake there is a low side where you can take the kayak out. You portage to the Nedereindsevaart. At the inlet there is a kayak pier. You turn right on the canal. When you come at two windmills there is a lock. They are not operational so you have to portage. After a short distance you come at the Vecht. You can turn left to have a look at the old village Oud Zuilen, or turn right to continue the route. The river bends to the left. You can make a small detour on the Proostwetering by turning left. A little further you return on the Vecht. Keep following the Vecht till you come at the Tienhovensch Kanaal. You turn right on the canal. The locks are self-service (you have to go out to operate them). It's a lot faster to carry the kayak passed the locks. A little further you pass the fortress. It's grown over by plants and trees so you can't really see any of it. When you come at marina Ruimzicht, there is a kayak pier on the right. You can bring the car here to load up the kayak.