Cycling ferries
Most select bike routes in Zeeland
With the Zeeland bike hub network, you have the province at your feet. Construct your own route – a nice enough pastime in itself – or leave the routing to us. Either way, you’ll get the finest fiets fixes around! Our favourites are here, with their Dutch name.
1. Zilte route
Zuid-Beveland
The Zilte route, some 51 kilometres long, goes past the salty Ooster- and Westerschelde estuaries. Growing in these waters are two briny delicacies: mussels and oysters. As the route unfurls, much about these two shellfish will become very familiar. The oyster ponds in Yerseke are a must . And that dish of mussels will help you continue. View the „the Zilte route“ route here!
The Zilte route, some 51 kilometres long, goes past the salty Ooster- and Westerschelde estuaries. Growing in these waters are two briny delicacies: mussels and oysters. As the route unfurls, much about these two shellfish will become very familiar. The oyster ponds in Yerseke are a must . And that dish of mussels will help you continue. View the „the Zilte route“ route here!
2. Watersnoodroute
Schouwen-Duiveland
This 'Watersnoodroute' of 61 kilometres brings you along various villages on Schouwen-Duiveland. It recalls the 1953 flood disaster when, in the night of 31 January and 1 February, the dikes gave way during a severe storm, worsened by a flood tide. Many people from Zeeland drowned that night, and on subsequent days. Do visit the Watersnoodmuseum in Ouwerkerk, with its sober account of that time, in photos, film and eye-witness reports. View the „Victory of the water“ route here!
This 'Watersnoodroute' of 61 kilometres brings you along various villages on Schouwen-Duiveland. It recalls the 1953 flood disaster when, in the night of 31 January and 1 February, the dikes gave way during a severe storm, worsened by a flood tide. Many people from Zeeland drowned that night, and on subsequent days. Do visit the Watersnoodmuseum in Ouwerkerk, with its sober account of that time, in photos, film and eye-witness reports. View the „Victory of the water“ route here!
3. Zwin route
Zeeland-Flanders
The Zwin route stretches 39 kilometres along the unique Zwin nature reserve in West-Zeeland-Flanders. Once an estuary, the Zwin silted up and nature converted it to creeks, marine trenches and saltings. Tip: at hub #29, turn towards hub #45. You’ll have a gorgeous wide view over the reserve, before going on to the drowned Verdronken Zwarte polder, the beach resort of Cadzand-Bad and the fortified town of Sluis. View the „Theme route: Zwinroute“ route here!
The Zwin route stretches 39 kilometres along the unique Zwin nature reserve in West-Zeeland-Flanders. Once an estuary, the Zwin silted up and nature converted it to creeks, marine trenches and saltings. Tip: at hub #29, turn towards hub #45. You’ll have a gorgeous wide view over the reserve, before going on to the drowned Verdronken Zwarte polder, the beach resort of Cadzand-Bad and the fortified town of Sluis. View the „Theme route: Zwinroute“ route here!
4. Panorama route
Zeeland-Flanders
Another route along the coast of West-Zeeland-Flanders is the Panorama route. Its 39 kilometres follow the coastal bikeway, with panoramic views over the Westerschelde estuary and the North Sea. You’ll go past the Zwin (above) before and the villages of Breskens and Retranchement. View the „Panoramaroute“ route here!
Another route along the coast of West-Zeeland-Flanders is the Panorama route. Its 39 kilometres follow the coastal bikeway, with panoramic views over the Westerschelde estuary and the North Sea. You’ll go past the Zwin (above) before and the villages of Breskens and Retranchement. View the „Panoramaroute“ route here!
5. The Monumental Fietsen route
Schouwen-Duiveland
The sea delivered Schouwen-Duiveland much prosperity in the past. That wealth still gleams on the historic monuments you’ll pass by on this 59 kilometre route on the island. The silhouette of the Dikke Toren tower in Zierikzee can be seen from afar. It would have been double its present height of 62 metres had the funding not dried up. The town of Zierikzee as a whole has more than 500 national monuments. After them, the route will take you to the village where the poet and writer Jacobs Cats was raised: Brouwershaven. View the „Historic monuments“ route here!
The sea delivered Schouwen-Duiveland much prosperity in the past. That wealth still gleams on the historic monuments you’ll pass by on this 59 kilometre route on the island. The silhouette of the Dikke Toren tower in Zierikzee can be seen from afar. It would have been double its present height of 62 metres had the funding not dried up. The town of Zierikzee as a whole has more than 500 national monuments. After them, the route will take you to the village where the poet and writer Jacobs Cats was raised: Brouwershaven. View the „Historic monuments“ route here!
6. Bunker route
Walcheren
The Bunker route of some 66 kilometres reveals the silent witnesses of the Second World War. Then, the coast of Walcheren was transformed by the occupying forces into a defensive line of bunkers, tank ditches and obstacles. Today, some 80 bunkers remain. The Bunkermuseum in Zoutelande explains them in detail. Nearby Westkapelle was deliberately bombed by the Allied forces to dislodge the occupier. That sad narrative is related in the museum: Dijk- en Oorlogsmuseum Het Polderhuis, about the dike and the war. View the „Bunkerroute“ route here!
The Bunker route of some 66 kilometres reveals the silent witnesses of the Second World War. Then, the coast of Walcheren was transformed by the occupying forces into a defensive line of bunkers, tank ditches and obstacles. Today, some 80 bunkers remain. The Bunkermuseum in Zoutelande explains them in detail. Nearby Westkapelle was deliberately bombed by the Allied forces to dislodge the occupier. That sad narrative is related in the museum: Dijk- en Oorlogsmuseum Het Polderhuis, about the dike and the war. View the „Bunkerroute“ route here!
7. Discover the Ontdek Noord-Beveland route
Noord-Beveland
The shapely contours of Noord-Beveland island are revealed during this 36 kilometre route , passing through such villages as Kortgene and Colijnsplaat. Most bike paths are on the outer side of the dikes, enriching your views over the Oosterschelde estuary and the Veerse Meer lake. Behind the dike lie inland inlets (‘inlagen’), small, secondary polders much visited by birdlife. View the „Discover Noord-Beveland“ route here!
8. Een moment voor Tholen
This take-time-for-Tholen route is a great way to see many old farms. It roams for 77 kilometres along Tholen and Sint Philipsland. Each farm has an information panel at the roadside. You can recognise a historic farm from the layout of bake house-cum-outhouse, pig sties and coach house. When you cross the extensive polders of Tholen, you’ll know why it is an island of calm. View the „A moment for Tholen“ route here!
9. Rond het Veerse Meer
Bevelanden, Walcheren
Whether you go clockwise or not, this route around the Veerse Meer lake follows the water for most of its 60 kilometres. The lake is a mecca for water sport lovers. You’ll surely go past sail boats, canoes and motor boats, and the historic town of Veere cannot be missed. The Grote Kerk will serve as your beacon. In the summer, there are two passenger boats: Veere - Kamperland and Kortgene - Wolphaartsdijk. Ferry good options for linking up with other routes. View the „Around the Veerse Meer“ route here!
Whether you go clockwise or not, this route around the Veerse Meer lake follows the water for most of its 60 kilometres. The lake is a mecca for water sport lovers. You’ll surely go past sail boats, canoes and motor boats, and the historic town of Veere cannot be missed. The Grote Kerk will serve as your beacon. In the summer, there are two passenger boats: Veere - Kamperland and Kortgene - Wolphaartsdijk. Ferry good options for linking up with other routes. View the „Around the Veerse Meer“ route here!
Take a break, take a ferry
Way back in the ferry good old days, Zeeland had more than a hundred crossings. They were often the only link between your home island and the rest of the world. Nowadays most have stopped, replaced by a network of dams, bridges and tunnels. Just a precious handful of ferries (‘pontjes’, meaning a sort of bridge) still operate, for cyclists and pedestrians. They can save you literally several hours of diversions. And – this is priceless – your brief holiday crossing, a cruise indeed, over the water will unveil long, and probably windy, vistas you’d never otherwise see.
One of the best-rated cycling provinces in the Netherlands
Besides these great cycle routes, Zeeland has lots more to offer. Discover all Zeeland’s cycle routes here. Did you know that Zeeland was one of the best-rated cycling provinces in the Netherlands? The quality of the cycling network, its maintenance, the route information, the many bike cafés along the routes and the possibility of cycling ‘outside’ the dykes were decisive in this rating.
Every two years, the national cycling platform awards this special prize to provinces in the Netherlands.
