Cycling through the Liemers

This route takes you through the history of the stone industry in the Ooijpolder and Lingewaard.

Along the major rivers in Gelderland, clay has been mined since time immemorial. This clay was used to manufacture bricks in many dozens of factories. Due to further mechanization, an expansion of scales, and stricter laws, many of these factories disappeared. Numerous buildings, chimneys, and dredgers can still be found in the landscape. As silent witnesses of the past.

The stone industry in the Arnhem Nijmegen region dates back 2000 years to when the Romans had their first stone kilns around Berg and Dal. There, they produced millions of roof tiles, tiles, and stones. They sourced the clay from clay pits in the hills of the Nijmegen area. Around the 13th century, it was discovered that river clay was also an excellent raw material for stones, and the rivers provided a first-class transport artery. By 1850, there were 120 quarries in Gelderland, employing over 4,200 people.

For more information, see: https://www.vvvarnhemnijmegen.nl/fietsen-door-de-liemers