The Vecht as a transport route

A beautiful trip along the banks of the Vecht with many stopping points that remind you of all facets of the Vecht as a transport river. In every village the route is short by crossing the river here. Along the way you will pass dozens of restaurants with terraces, shops, museums and mills.
The Vecht was an important transport river for centuries before Christ. It was a tributary of the Rhine and the river flowed directly north, and was thus the fastest way to the North Sea, Scandinavia and northern Germany. The discovery of a dugout canoe from the 7th century BC testifies to this. With the rise of peat extraction, roof tile and brick industry from the 17th century and the construction of dozens of country estates by wealthy Amsterdammers, transport on the Vecht increased enormously. A towpath was built over which walked the horses that pulled the many barges. Water stumps, water fences, water banks, tea domes on the water, all remind of the important transport function of the Vecht at that time. You will encounter this and much more along the way, the route connects all the elements that together tell the story of the Vecht as a transport artery.