Reeuwijk 

1. A route of 10 km in the Reeuwijkse Land. 2 portages. Free access.

2. A route of 12 km on the Reeuwijkse Plassen. No portages. No free access: you have to buy a permit for € 2,45 (day) or € 4,90 (week). 

Kayak-rentals:

To the starting point:

Exit the A12 or N11 at Reeuwijk. At a T-junction Reeuwijk is to the right, but here you turn left. Follow the road to the end and enter the last car-park on your right. Access to the kayak pier is in the corner on your right behind a barrier that is marked with a red and yellow sign. 

1. Round trip of 10 km marked with red and yellow poles named "Oude Dorpen Route"

From the kayak pier you turn right on the main canal. At the end you turn left at the T-junction. After a short distance you turn right and you go under the highway A12. You pass several low bridges and before Tempel you follow the bend to the right. After a while the canal bend to the left. The straight canal along the dike is very quiet. Follow the bends to the right and to the left. Keep following the main canal. After a sharp bend to the right the canal becomes very winding and there are several low bridges. At 2 places they are too low so you have to carry the kayak passed them. There are kayak piers, but it's not clear why they are so far apart... After you passed Mc Donalds you go under the highway A12 again and then turn right. Follow the canal along the hightway and then turn left to the starting point.

First portage.

Fairy tale garden. All animals are for sale.

Filled in locks in the canal towards Bodegraven. There are good kayak piers.

2. Reeuwijkse Plassen

This is a group of shallow artificial lakes formed by extensive peat mining in the 18th century. The northernmost lake named Broekvelden was made later to win sand. It is at places 32 meters deep and it is not connected to the other lakes. There is a beach, and it is mainly used for windsurfing. The lake 's-Gravenbroek is the nearest to Reeuwijk and on a sunny day there are many boats ont the water. The other lakes are more quiet. The furhter you go, the more silence you find. There are not many facilities for kayaks. All the land is either privately owned or preserved nature. You can only go to the side in the northeasternmost side of the lake Elfhoeven, at the southwesternmost side of Kalverbroek (Twaalfmorgen) and at some places near a bridge. Most canals along the lakes are not accessible because of low bridges and water-lilies.

Permit

You need to buy a permit for access to the Reeuwijkse Plassen. They are available (cash only) at:

Mapmyride: http://www.mapmyride.com/route/netherlands/reeuwijk/975334728933

Starting point

A good starting point is near the rowing and sailing club at Not. d'Aumerielaan 35. You pass the bridge across the Breevaart and turn right into the Not. d'Aumerielaan. This is a dead end (for cars). You pass the restaurant Brasserie Het Wapen and MacDaniel Watersport where you can obtain a permit. Just after the black building of the rowing and sailing club there are parking places on the left and a small grass field. This is a good starting point as there are low sides. From this starting point it is also possible to sail to Gouda.

Round trip op 12 km

From the starting point head east and after the first island turn right. Pass the canal to the next lake Elfhoeven. Head south until about halfway to the other side and then turn left. On the east side you find in the middle a canal with a bridge. Go under the bridge and then turn right. You pass two islands and then you find a passage to the next lake Vrijhoef. Cross the Vrijhoef in a straight line and after the passage you head south on the lake Kalverbroek. About halfway to the other side you turn left. You pass an island on your left and then you head for the land-point straight ahead. Take the second inlet to the right for a break at Twaalfmorgen. Then head north and turn right . After the land-point on your left you turn left. on the Nieuwenbroek. On the north-side you see a white house. The canal to the next lake 's-Gravenkoop is just right of the white house. After the bridge you turn left and follow the side. In the corner you find a canal to the south. After the bridge you come at a small lake Groot Vogelenzang. You turn right and follow the north side. In the corner there is a small canal to the north that connects to thelake Klein Vogelenzang. This lake has only one entrance. So you can paddle around it and return to the same point. On the south side of theis lake there are a few small piers made for fishing. If there's no-one there you can go to the side here. From this small lake there is a small bridge across the passage to the lake Ravensberg. The Ravensberg has many small islands. On the south side is the village Sluipwijk with a church in the middle. In the south-western most corner there is a navigatable passage to the canal that goes west. It is rather difficult to find as there are many inlets. Once you're on the canal to the west you pass some houses. The canal makes a bend and you go under a bridge. Then you turn left under another bridge and you're back on the lake 's-Gravenbroek. Turn right and follow the side until you're back at the starting-point.

Near the starting point at the 's-Gravenbroek

Canal between Elfhoeven and Vrijhoef

Self-service bridge at 's-Gravenkoop

Connection to Ravensberg