Cycle route along the Leidse Rijn
Utrecht, Woerden, Harmelen
The present-day Leidse Rijn is no longer a natural river but a canal, dug largely along the course of the former River Rhine. In Roman times, this branch of the Rhine was the country's most important river, flowing through Utrecht towards the North Sea. For centuries, the river attracted people to settle along its banks. As a result, many archaeological discoveries have been made in the surrounding area, including the remains of the Roman fort Castellum Hoge Woerd. At the time, the fort stood directly on the banks of the Rhine. Máximapark also reveals the course of the original river. Flowing through the park is the Vikingrijn, a reconstructed section of the former Rhine. During the excavation of the Vikingrijn in 2009 and 2010, archaeologists uncovered two medieval ships. Máximapark is well worth exploring by bike. Along the way, you can visit the Vlinderhof gardens, the Japanese Garden, stroll through the Sculpture Garden of Leidsche Rijn or climb the Observatory for panoramic views of the surrounding area. Over the centuries, navigation on the Rhine between Utrecht and Harmelen became increasingly difficult as parts of the river gradually silted up. To keep shipping possible, several replacement canals were constructed. In the 17th century, the Leidse Vaart was added as part of Utrecht's urban expansion. From then on, the waterway between Utrecht and Harmelen became known as the Leidse Rijn, a name later adopted by the neighbouring Utrecht district. From Harmelen onwards towards Leiden, the river continued under the name Oude Rijn. Today, this route takes you along the canal, past former river channels, archaeological sites and wide-open polder landscapes. Together, they tell the story of how this landscape has evolved over the centuries.
| Directions | Distance | Total distance | |
|
Start: Zuid IJsseldijk , 3417 PE IJsselstein | 40.2 KM | |
|
From
79
to
88
|
1368 M | 1.4 KM | |
| Head southwest on Stuivenbergweg | 1.4 KM | ||
| You are now at section 88 | 0 M | ||
|
From
88
to
62
|
2761 M | 2.8 KM | |
| Head west | 1.2 KM | ||
| Continue onto Blokland | 1.5 KM | ||
| You are now at section 62 | 0 M | ||
|
From
62
to
57
|
1370 M | 1.4 KM | |
| Head northwest on Bovenkerkweg | 907 M | ||
| Turn left onto Parklaan | 206 M | ||
| Turn right | 257 M | ||
| You are now at section 57 | 0 M | ||
|
From
57
to
98
|
513 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head northeast on Provincialeweg | 42 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Provincialeweg | 29 M | ||
| Turn right onto Kasteelplein | 11 M | ||
| Continue slightly left onto Hofplein | 93 M | ||
| Turn right onto Om 't Hof | 29 M | ||
| Turn left onto Plaats | 157 M | ||
| Turn left onto Hoogstraat | 86 M | ||
| Turn right | 30 M | ||
| Continue onto IJsselbrug | 36 M | ||
| You are now at section 98 | 0 M | ||
|
From
98
to
80
|
47 M | 0 KM | |
| Head north on IJsselplein | 47 M | ||
| You are now at section 80 | 0 M | ||
|
From
80
to
89
|
1655 M | 1.7 KM | |
| Head northeast on Hofdijk | 473 M | ||
| Turn right onto Mastwijkerdijk | 146 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 64 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Mastwijkerdijk | 510 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 61 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Mastwijkerdijk | 401 M | ||
| You are now at section 89 | 0 M | ||
|
From
89
to
47
|
2699 M | 2.7 KM | |
| Head north on Blindeweg | 2.4 KM | ||
| Make a slight right onto Reijerscop | 191 M | ||
| Keep right onto Reijerscop | 122 M | ||
| You are now at section 47 | 0 M | ||
|
From
47
to
29
|
801 M | 0.8 KM | |
| Head east on Reijerscopse Overgang | 801 M | ||
| You are now at section 29 | 0 M | ||
|
From
29
to
37
|
738 M | 0.7 KM | |
| Head north on Raadhuislaan | 466 M | ||
| Turn left onto Kerkweg | 272 M | ||
| You are now at section 37 | 0 M | ||
|
From
37
to
36
|
114 M | 0.1 KM | |
| Head north on Kalverstraat | 114 M | ||
| You are now at section 36 | 0 M | ||
|
From
36
to
32
|
2006 M | 2 KM | |
| Head east on Dorpsstraat | 518 M | ||
| Turn left onto Harmelerwaard | 95 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Harmelerwaard | 10 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Harmelerwaard | 413 M | ||
| Turn right onto Sportlaan | 8 M | ||
| Turn left onto Harmelerwaard | 962 M | ||
| You are now at section 32 | 0 M | ||
|
From
32
to
49
|
1073 M | 1.1 KM | |
| Head east on Harmelerwaard | 1.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 49 | 0 M | ||
|
From
49
to
27
|
1447 M | 1.4 KM | |
| Head north | 165 M | ||
| Turn left | 278 M | ||
| Continue onto Annemiek van Vleutenpad | 61 M | ||
| Continue straight | 26 M | ||
| Continue onto Annemiek van Vleutenpad | 917 M | ||
| You are now at section 27 | 0 M | ||
|
From
27
to
69
|
2400 M | 2.4 KM | |
| Head east | 26 M | ||
| Turn right | 35 M | ||
| Turn left onto Rhenovalaan | 192 M | ||
| Continue straight | 34 M | ||
| Turn right onto Het Lint - Vleuterweide | 2.1 KM | ||
| Make a slight left onto Het Lint - De Meern | 46 M | ||
| You are now at section 69 | 0 M | ||
|
From
69
to
93
|
175 M | 0.2 KM | |
| Head southeast | 175 M | ||
| You are now at section 93 | 0 M | ||
|
From
93
to
87
|
281 M | 0.3 KM | |
| Head southwest on Het Lint - Hoge Woerd | 281 M | ||
| You are now at section 87 | 0 M | ||
|
From
87
to
76
|
486 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head south | 24 M | ||
| Turn right onto Castellumlaan | 462 M | ||
| You are now at section 76 | 0 M | ||
|
From
76
to
1
|
2098 M | 2.1 KM | |
| Head east on Zandweg | 2.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 01 | 0 M | ||
|
From
1
to
48
|
148 M | 0.1 KM | |
| Head east on Zandweg | 148 M | ||
| You are now at section 48 | 0 M | ||
|
From
48
to
23
|
586 M | 0.6 KM | |
| Head east on Rijksstraatweg | 348 M | ||
| Continue onto Groenewoudsedijk | 238 M | ||
| You are now at section 23 | 0 M | ||
|
From
23
to
52
|
1947 M | 1.9 KM | |
| Head southeast on Dominee Abernathylaan; Ds. Abernathylaan | 142 M | ||
| Turn left onto Dominee Abernathylaan; Ds. Abernathylaan | 1.1 KM | ||
| Continue straight | 10 M | ||
| Continue onto Leidseweg | 665 M | ||
| You are now at section 52 | 0 M | ||
|
From
52
to
94
|
1614 M | 1.6 KM | |
| Head northeast on Muntbrug | 12 M | ||
| Turn right onto Kanaalweg | 772 M | ||
| Keep left onto Kanaalweg | 830 M | ||
| You are now at section 94 | 0 M | ||
|
From
94
to
47
|
213 M | 0.2 KM | |
| Head northwest on Koningin Wilhelminalaan | 198 M | ||
| Turn right | 15 M | ||
| You are now at section 47 | 0 M | ||
|
From
47
to
91
|
1792 M | 1.8 KM | |
| Head west on Koningin Wilhelminalaan | 1.8 KM | ||
| You are now at section 91 | 0 M | ||
|
From
91
to
50
|
5063 M | 5.1 KM | |
| Head south | 445 M | ||
| Turn right | 179 M | ||
| Turn left onto Orteliuslaan | 300 M | ||
| Continue slightly left onto Groenewoudsedijk | 368 M | ||
| Continue onto Galecopperdijk | 591 M | ||
| Turn right onto Galecopperwetering | 1 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Reinesteijnseweg | 855 M | ||
| Turn right onto Meikeverpad | 1.3 KM | ||
| You are now at section 50 | 0 M | ||
|
From
50
to
75
|
234 M | 0.2 KM | |
| Head west on Nedereindseweg | 234 M | ||
| You are now at section 75 | 0 M | ||
|
From
75
to
81
|
2960 M | 3 KM | |
| Head southeast on Nedereindseweg | 9 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Nedereindseweg | 561 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Nedereindseweg | 26 M | ||
| Turn left | 866 M | ||
| Turn right | 16 M | ||
| Keep left at the fork | 12 M | ||
| Turn left | 211 M | ||
| Turn right onto Omloop Oost | 249 M | ||
| Turn left onto Hitteschild | 196 M | ||
| Turn right onto Journaalpad | 814 M | ||
| You are now at section 81 | 0 M | ||
|
From
81
to
40
|
214 M | 0.2 KM | |
| Head northwest on Eiteren | 214 M | ||
| You are now at section 40 | 0 M | ||
|
From
40
to
45
|
956 M | 1 KM | |
| Head northwest on Eiteren | 956 M | ||
| You are now at section 45 | 0 M | ||
|
From
45
to
79
|
2485 M | 2.5 KM | |
| Head northeast on Zuid IJsseldijk | 48 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Zuid IJsseldijk | 2.4 KM | ||
| You are now at section 79 | 0 M |