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Tourist information

Discover the Krimpenerwaard
The municipality of Ouderkerk is made up of the separate villages of Ouderkerk aan den IJssel, Gouderak and the hamlet of Lageweg. The town is situated in the west of the Krimpenerwaard and has developed in the form of ribbon building along the Hollandsche IJssel river. Here you can enjoy the natural scenery in a typically Dutch landscape of ditched-in strips of land.

Cycling and walking
Cycling in the Krimpenerwaard, you can pick your way anywhere you like: various extensively signposted tracks – from 28 to 50 kilometers (16 to 30 miles) – take you to the most beautiful natural and cultural hotspots. The complementary and intersecting tracks offer endless opportunities to map out your own route. Along the way you will come across special information panels with interesting stories of and about the local people. A practical guide for cyclists with routes in the Krimpenerwaard polders is for sale at the tourist office (VVV). You can also plan a route on the internet with the provincial facility of fietsrouteplanner. For hikers there are numerous footpaths to explore the Krimpenerwaard. There are hikes that start and end in the Krimpenerwaard or that are part of long-distance footpaths like the Groene Hartpad (a track through the pastures of Central Holland) or the Oeverloperpad (LAW 6-1), a hike along the river banks.

Canoeing
In the Krimpenerwaard various courses have been plotted for canoeing.

From Haastrecht you can do the Vlist-route. This is a 10-kilometer (6-mile) stretch along the Vlist rivulet from Haastrecht to Schoonhoven. It will take you past splendid farmhouses and impressive windmills. Canoeing and cycling can easily be combined. You can rent canoes in Haastrecht at the Kanocentrum Haastrecht (0182-502245).
Another canoeing trip is the Loet-route.
Canoes for this stretch can be rented at Kanocentrum Loetbos ( 0180-662396). This course takes you along open pastures, the Loetwood and some villages. Its length is 22 kilometers (13 miles) and stretches from Stolwijkersluis (near Gouda) via the Loetwood to Krimpen aan den IJssel.

Enjoying the (view from) the water
The Hollandse IJssel is a brisk river suitable for yachting. The river is part of the Staande Mastroute. This course stretches from the IJsselmeer via the Hollandsche IJssel to Zeeland. From time immemorial river-vessels have sailed the Hollandse IJssel waters to load and unload along the banks. Moreover the IJssel is a tidal river with all the effects of the incoming and outgoing water. Dikes have to be carefully maintained and monitored, the Stormvloedkering (storm surge barrier) functions as a barrier to superfluous water and the pumping stations guarantee the right water level in the polders. Environmental and recreational facilities are in full development along the Hollandsche IJssel, but it has not always been like that. The Hollandsche IJssel is a river with its own history. Due to pollution, flora and fauna were seriously affected in the past. The quality of the water deteriorated and the landscape was neglected. Since 1996 a great deal of work has been done to clean up the river. For more information on this go to www.schonermooier.nl.

More information
Tourist information on Ouderkerk and its surroundings can also be found on:
www.VVVhetgroenehart.nl