This part of the path has different faces.
Starting off on the bank of the Hollandse IJssel opposite Ouderkerk (because there was no need to cross the river by ferry just for the sake of the route), the first part leads through the wild regions of Hitland, a remainder of the low lands of Holland, so low it was left wet and swampy. We kept dry feet because the elevated path that bridged the lower, wet marshes. Next, leading along an old road, showing views on the low land – barely above the water. It didn’t stop people building houses, but at times, specific fundaments are needed.
From there, we entered the boundaries of Capelle; this is a suburb of Rotterdam, exploded in the 60’s and 70’s, a lot of high appartement buildings, here called flats, and lots of free space and parkland surrounding them. Getting nearer Rotterdam, the Big City was ever more closing in.
We came out the suburban builded area and followed the park along the shores of the Kralingse Plas, just North of Rotterdam, following the borders of the river Rotte and and the Bergsscho Voorplas, and then, once again, entering a suburban area, again though parks between flats that give the city people a sense of nature.
Finally, we recollected our bikes at the railway station in Berkel -Rodenrijs and cycled back to the car.
Because of the differences in this 23 kilometers, despite it’s mainly in suburban space, this is one of the nicer walks. You wouldn’t expect such a green space in one of the densiest populated corners of the world….
These are the images that give you an impression of the area; Of course, the tracks are available in Garmin, generic and CVS formats.