This stage also offers plenty of variety. Here you walk through the Land of Leeghwater. As the Dutch, we are proud of the technical knowledge with which we do battle with the water. The polders of De Beemster and De Schermer, drained during the Golden Age, are fine examples of this. Along the way, therefore, you will encounter many straight roads, ditches, canals, and typical Dutch skies. Additionally, it is a stage passing through many village centers with cozy places to eat and drink.
The Schermer and the Beemster
Schermerhorn is situated at a crossroads of four completely different polders. To the north are the Mijzenpolder and Eilandspolder, and to the south the Schermer and the Beemster. Characteristic of the Schermer and the Beemster are the geometric layout of the roads and ditches, and the traditional Dutch farmhouses with their pyramid roofs and square farmyards. The Beemster was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 for this reason. In the Schermer, the eleven centuries-old windmills still define the landscape. One of the windmills is now a museum.
Nic Jonk Sculpture Garden
If you depart from Schermerhorn, it is important to know whether the breeding season is in effect. This determines whether you need to walk clockwise or counterclockwise around the Eilandspolder. The original route takes you along the Beemstervaart, straight through the Eilandspolder, with its beautiful nature and many birds. During the breeding season, you pass Grootschermer. However, even when the birds are not breeding, this alternative route is worthwhile. You will first pass the Museum Mill on the Noordervaart and, near Grootschermer, the sculpture garden of Nic Jonk. Further along lies the restaurant Genot van Grootschermer with its waterside terrace, a pleasant spot for a cup of coffee or an early lunch.
Graft
At junction 43, both routes rejoin. If you have some extra time, you can turn off a little further on to Graft, a village with a rich history of shipowners, merchants, and whalers. The old town hall alone, with its three stepped gables in the Dutch Renaissance style, is worth a visit. And while you're there, you can take a peek inside the smallest old-fashioned Dutch candy shop in the Netherlands.
Windmill De Oude Knegt
Back on the route, you walk via Driehuizen along the Westelijke Eilandspolder to the Schermer. From here, the path continues in straight lines to the Noord-Hollandsch Kanaal. Along the water, the end point of the stage, windmill De Oude Knegt, comes into view. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, wheat is still milled and available for purchase at the mill.
