Hazerswoude-Dorp: Cultural History and Polder Landscape

Cultural history and the polder landscape offer concrete points of reference when planning your trip to Hazerswoude-Dorp. The Historical Museum, walks through various polders, and the Spookverlaat nature reserve each offer a different focus. If you are looking for a hotel, these themes can help you decide what kind of stay you want: architectural history, walking trails, or nature watching.

Cultural History and Buildings

The Hazerswoude-Dorp Historical Museum displays Roman finds dating from 100 BC to 400 AD. Its permanent exhibition covers the development of the many polders around Hazerswoude. The museum therefore brings together finds from a distant past and the history of the polder landscape. The building itself also has a long history: it is a listed monument dating from 1635, formerly consisted of two homes, and is one of the oldest buildings in the village.

The Ned. Herv. Kerk is a simple hall church dating from 1646. Its documented architectural features include a polygonal chancel and a timber vaulted ceiling. If you are interested in architecture, you can take note of both the shape of the chancel and the design of the ceiling.

Walking Through the Polders

The Oostvaartroute starts at Landvliethal, Sportparklaan 15, in Hazerswoude-Dorp. This 8.5-kilometre farm trail runs between Hazerswoude-Rijndijk and Hazerswoude-Dorp. The farm trails on the Oostvaartroute are subject to a seasonal restriction: they are open from 15 June to 15 March and closed outside this period because of the breeding season. Keep this time window in mind when planning your walk.

Another walking route is called “Wandelen door de polders van Hazerswoude” (“Walking through the polders of Hazerswoude”). It leads from the village through the Geerpolder and the water village of Het Rietveld. The two polders lie at different elevations, so you can compare these landscapes along the route. A cycling tour offers a different format: “Op verkenning langs de molens rond Hazerswoude” (“Exploring the windmills around Hazerswoude”) is 19 kilometres long and runs through the polders. The comparison makes the options clear: an 8.5-kilometre farm trail and a 19-kilometre cycling tour.

Nature and Landscaped Areas

Centuries-old ash pollards stand along a walking trail in the Spookverlaat area. They date from the time when local farmers still practised coppicing. Here, you can see evidence of the area’s former woodland use right beside the trail. At the end of the Papenpad in Spookverlaat, a woodland forms part of an elongated nature reserve covering 25 hectares. The reserve also includes the Amalia birdwatching hide.

De Wilck is another point of interest for nature enthusiasts: the 19-kilometre cycling route leads to De Wilck on Vierheemskinderweg in Hazerswoude-Dorp, an area rich in meadow birds. The route description thus combines a specific location with a natural feature. When planning your trip, you can focus on the polder route to De Wilck or on the trails and features of the Spookverlaat area.

De Groene Kathedraal is a garden for walking around, on the grounds of a former nursery. A wide variety of plants was cultivated there. This garden offers a different focus from the polder trails or the nature reserve: its main feature is a cultivated plant collection.

Water Activities and Visitor Information

Klein Giethoorn rents out whisper boats, SUP boards, and canoes for exploring the water village of Het Rietveld. Check availability before your trip. The Theetuin ’t Woutje offers boat trips through the Rietveld; check operating details in advance. This gives you two different types of activities to consider: renting various watercraft and taking boat trips.

Jeu de Boer polderrecreatie is a tourist information point at Galgweg 5, 2391 MV Hazerswoude-Dorp. As service information can change, check in advance if needed which information is currently available there.

Discover more destinations: Koudekerk Aan Den Rijn, Hazerswoude-Rijndijk.

Go to the main travel overview: Rijnwoude.