Round trip of 23.5 km
Kayak rentals:
Kanocentrum Arjan Bloem, Poelweg 1B, Wormer. Tel.: 075-6218805.Zaandijk is the place along the former river Zaan where still many old wooden houses can be found. Tourists who visit the opposite Zaanse Schans can take the footferry for a visit. There are several narrow canals that can only be accessed by kayak. It is very nice to have a look. But as Zaandijk is a rather small place I made a bigger tour passing through the village, then going north across the Guisveld, make portage to the Zaan and then turn left to the Nauernasche Vaart to Westzaan.
Starting point Zaandijk
Starting point is at the small field along the Boschjesstraat near the windmill Het Pink.From Amsterdam you take the A8 to the north. Take exit 3 Koog a.d. Zaan and turn sharp right. You pass the Volkswagen garage on the one way street. At the T-junction you turn left. The starting point is on your right at the small park next to windmill Het Pink. There is a low side and a picnic table.
Parking is allowed only in the spaces. There are two places with charging stations.
If there's no parking space available you can park at the nearby parallel road of the Provincialeweg named Pellekaanstraat. GPS: Pellekaanstraat 24.
GPS Boschjesstraat 99: N. 52.4666, E. 4.8087.
Downloadable GPS-track: Zaandijk 23.5 km.
Route of 23.5 km
From the starting point you go to the left and around the corner you turn left. After the railroad bridge you turn right. You go through two culverts. They are rather low. You come at an alotment garden and here you have to turn right because of a low bridge. Follow the bend to the left and then turn right under the railroad bridge. The canal makes a bend to the left and here you pass the wooden houses. There are a few narrow side-canals, but they are dead ends. At the T-junction you turn left. If you would turn right you come at the locks Gerrit Jan Honig Sluis. They are operated from May till October and the fee is €1,00 per kayak. On the other side of the locks is De Zaan and the Zaanse Schans. But we will go to the Zaan later. You go under a railroad bridge and then you turn right at the second side-canal. You pass the new houses that are built in a semi-circle along the canal. At the T-junction you turn right. The first and second side-canals to the left are blocked by a dam, but at the third one you turn left. There are many canals here and it is impossible to give detailed directions. So you have to look at the map to find your way to the north of the area or follow the GPS-track. You go under a railroad bridge and keep on the main canal to the north. If you pass a park with stone elephants on your left you're going the right way. You go under a narrow bridge and follow the canal to the right and the the bend to the left. You come at a dike and follow the canal to the left. You see a kayak pier on your right and here you can portage to De Zaan. You head north passing the marina 't Swaentje. At the norhternmost point of the marina is a restaurant with a low pier where you can take a break. Continue north and turn left under a high bridge. You go straight on and follow the bend to the left on the Nauernasche Vaart. You pass the windmill Woudaap and a footferry. This is a long straight canal. You go under a bridge ans pass the Forbo factory. That's where the chimney with rings around it is. You keep heading south and pass the water tower of Westzaan. On your left you see locks and a little further is a kayak pier where you can carry the kayak across the dike. You follow the bend to the locks and then turn right. Then turn left again and you enter Westzaan. You go straight on under a bridge. When you come at a lake you turn left and head norht on the wide canal. At the onramp of highway A8 you follow the bend to the right. There is another portage, and you follow the canal along the highway. Then turn sharp left under the highway and the sharp right again. Then turn left and cross the wide canal to the canal that heads back to Zaandijk. Just before the railroad bridge you turn right. You pass the alotmentgarden and go through the two low culverts back to the starting point.
Het Pink.
Alotment gardens in Zaandijk.
Zaandijk.
Locks G.J. Honigsluis to the Zaan.
Polder Westzaan .
Railway at Wormerveer.
West-Knollendam with a view on the windmill "Woudaap".
Forbo factory in Krommenie along the Nauernasche Vaart.
Locks between the Nauernasche Vaart and Westzaan. The portage point is on the right.
