This stage is never boring. To start with, in Abcoude you can choose the new route to Nederhorst den Berg or the old route via Baambrugge and Vreeland. Both routes take you to the Ankeveense Plassen. Along the way, you will encounter all sorts of things: winding rivers, a brand-new cycle bridge, cozy terraces, a ferry, and yes, it is true, you will also walk through the province of Utrecht for a brief moment.
Line bridge at Nigtevecht
With the original route of the Noord-Hollandpad, you walked from here towards Baambrugge and Vreeland to Overmeer. The new route goes via Nigtevecht, where you cross the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal on the new bicycle and pedestrian bridge. The design of the Liniebrug has been optimally tailored to the surroundings in collaboration with local residents and other stakeholders. The 104-meter-long bridge is transparent, slender, and simple. The stairs on either side of the main span increase both safety and comfort for walkers because they do not run over the ramps intended for cyclists. The route continues along the Gein and crosses the Vecht via a ferry. Be sure to check the departure times in advance. Past Nederhorst den Berg, you rejoin the old route.
Ankeveen lakes
Via a beautiful route along the Googpad and the unpaved Bergse Pad, you continue to the Ankeveense Plassen. They are part of the Vechtplassen. A peat landscape with narrow ditches and strips of land, formed by the excavation of peat. In spring, many water and marsh birds breed in this area, and special aquatic plants such as greater nymph, bladderwort, and floating pondweed grow in the crystal-clear water.
Historic country estates
The 's Graveland terminus is best known for its beautiful country houses and estates, built in the 18th and 19th centuries as summer residences for wealthy merchants from Amsterdam. The new bridge over the 's Gravelandse Vaart represents a significant improvement on this stage, as you no longer have to walk around to the Natuurmonumenten Gooi & Vechtstreek Visitor Centre.
