Kolhorn and Schagen
Distance: 10 km
No kayak rentals in this area.
Kolhorn.
One of the most beautiful towns of the former Zuiderzee is not to be found along the IJsselmeer, but on the edge of the polder Wieringermeer. Kolhorn was built at the place where ships came to shore to supply goods for Schagen. Kolhorn never became very prosperous. Houses were small and the narrow streets were never widened. To-day this gives Kolhorn its special character. Very special are the so called "overtuinen", gardens across the street. The street is directly along the houses, and the garden is across the street along the canal. In the past people had their bussiness here, and they stored their peat and smoked fish. Nowadays the kayak-rental is the only bussiness that still takes place in an "overtuin". In the time of the V.O.C. the people of Kolhorn took over cargo from the ships to enable them to pass the undeep parts of the Zuiderzee towards the North Sea. When the Noordhollands Kanaal was built, they ran out of bussiness. When the nearby Groetpolder and Waardpolder were made, it appeared the soil was too salt for any agriculture. So they started growing madder. They could make paint of this. But after a short time is became possible to make chemical paint, so the madder was no longer needed. From 1900 till 1930 the people of Kolhorn fished anchovy, but then the polder Wieringermeer was made, and there was no longer a connection to the open sea. The old houses are restored very beautifully. There is some catering industry as yacht-owners like to stop for a visit of Kolhorn. The yearly night-market is very nice to visit.
Kolhorn can be reached by the N248, between Schagen and Middenmeer. There is a kayak-route of about 10 km. You can start this trip at the kayak-rentals Kayaktion. You can not reach the water by car here. There is a kayak-pier nearby just south of the center. Just follow the road around the center until you come at the canal. There are a few parking-places here, and a kayak-pier. In the summer-time these parking places may be occupied, so that's why I advise to start this trip outside Kolhorn. Between Schagen and Kolhorn take the side-road towards Barsingerhorn. Just across the bridge you can take the kayak into the water at the Mieldijk.
Mapmyride: http://www.mapmyride.com/route/netherlands/kolhorn/99604760
GPS: Lat. 52.794259, Lon 4.853100
Paddle to the east in the direction Kolhorn. When you come at the next bridge there is a marked place on your right where to take the canoe across the dike. This is before you reach the locks, so you'll have no problem with that. You pass a small nature-area where you can see spoonbills if you are lucky. Then you come to the village Kolhorn. This is a very beautiful canal. After it turns to the right there is a very small park on the left (after the third house) with a canoe-peer for common use. If you would like to go towards Middenmeer, you must take the canoe out here, carry it through the little gate to the left. Follow the alley named Keern. When you come at the dike there is a canoe-pier for common use a little to the right. It is not made very handy, it is not easy to make the turns. From here you can go east on the canal. For this described trip you stay on the small canal in the village. A little further on there is a canoe-peer on the right with a yellow sign TKBN. This is where canoes can be rented. When you go further, there is a side-canal to the left. You go straight on. If you turn left you come at a dead end. There are some remnants of locks, but they are filled up. If you carry the canoe across you will come to the main canal towards Winkel after 1 km. The second canal on your left will take you into the fields for a long distance, but it is really not going any where. So keep going straight on. You pass the village Barsingerhorn. At the end of the village turn right. There is a kayak-pier where you can stop and have a look at the restored railroad-stop. In the past a tramway lead to the north to connect with the ferry towards the former island Wieringen and east towards Medemblik. After the tramway-station you turn right again. After a while you come at a bridge too low to pass underneath. But there are kayak-piers where you can take the canoe to the other side. At the end of the canal you come to a dike after which is the main canal. There is a marked place where to carry the canoe across the dike. In the main canal you turn right (to the east) and the bridge you see in the distance is the place where you started this trip.
Kolhorn.
Barsingerhorn.
Rebuilt railwaystation "Heerenweg" of Barsingerhorn. In memory of the former railway that used to connect Schagen to Medemblik.
Barsingerhorn - Dirkshorn (9.5 km)
This route connects to the route around Waarland. There are 6 portages on this route, but they all have good kayak piers. To get there you pass Schagen. From Barsingerhorn you head west and carry the kayak across the road at pumping station De Snevert. Then you keep going west and you turn left at the T-junction. Then you turn right under the bridge. After a short distance you come at another T-junction. You turn left and carry the kayak across the road at the kayak pier. Keep going west and after a railroad bridge you come at the new houses. Here you can turn right towards the center of Schagen. But there really is nothing interesting to see, just the back-side of buildings. So you turn left here and then turn right again. On your right you see new houses. There are many plants growing in the water. It looks beautiful, but it slows you down. Just before the main road N245 you turn left. After a short distance you have to carry across a dike. There is an electric cattle fence, but it can be opened. Then after a short distance there are two more portages at Tolke. After the dike was a lake until the late middle ages. At Tolke the passing ships had to pay toll and that is where it gets its name from. At the junction you turn right, then left and some furhter right again under a culvert. Then you come at a pumping station whre you can carry the kayak across the dike to come at the canal around Waarland. Here you can turn right towards Dirkshorn.
View on Schagen from pumping station De Snevert
Tolke
Around Schagen (12.4 km.)
It is possible to navigate around Schagen. Total distance 12.4 km. and 9 (!) portages.
Starting point along the Kanaal Schagen-Kolhorn. From the roundabout where the N245 connects to the N248 head east for about 100 meters. Then turn right. There is a small parking place along the canal.
The Josenfjord, a former Norwegian ship built in 1886 in the harbour of Schagen. On the website of the Norwegian Wikipedia a photo from 1975 when the ship was still in service can be found.