In Lijnden, waterways meet the history of draining the Haarlemmermeer. Along the water, there is a walking path, a cycling route and other walking paths beside the Ringvaart. When choosing accommodation, you can first consider whether you would like to focus your stay mainly on paths by the water or on the local history of water engineering.
Walking and cycling routes by the water
Between Lijnden and Zwanenburg, an approximately 2-kilometre-long Jaagpad runs alongside the Ringvaart and is now used as a walking path. It offers a clearly defined route with two specified endpoints. Distinct from this are the broader options along the Ringvaart Haarlemmermeer: there is a cycling route and several walking paths by the water. The Rondje Ringvaart Haarlemmermeer tourist route also passes through Lijnden, among other places.
A specific point of reference on site is the corner of Hoofdweg Westzijde, where Lijnderdijk meets Akerdijk. There is a place to sit by the water with a charging station for e-bikes. If you plan to use the facility during a cycling trip, check in advance whether it is currently available; visitor facilities like this can change.
The Ringvaart, Hoofdvaart and pump station
The Hoofdvaart is a 20-kilometre-long canal that runs past Lijnden from north to south. Its northern end is at Gemaal De Lynden, beside the Ringvaart: this is where the Hoofdvaart flows into Lijnden. This connection makes the site interesting for anyone who wants to better understand the local waterways. The Ringvaart itself has been municipal heritage of the municipality of Haarlemmermeer since 2017.
The creation of the canals is also part of the history of the landscape. The Hoofdvaart was dug in 1852, after the Haarlemmermeer had been drained. Gemaal De Lynden was one of three steam pumping stations that helped drain the area between 1849 and 1852. The canal and the pumping station are therefore connected to this project in different, but chronologically related, ways: the Hoofdvaart was created after the drainage, while the pumping stations helped carry it out.
Engineering history in Lijnden
Another feature is the transformer house in Lijnden. It was built to electrify a centrifugal pump at Gemaal De Lynden and the hamlet of Lijnden. J.B. van Loghem designed the house in 1919. Its function links the engineering history of the pumping station with the electrification of the hamlet; the date and the architect’s name give this subject a specific historical context.
Taken together, the pumping station, Hoofdvaart and transformer house offer different perspectives on water and engineering history: land reclamation, canal construction and electrification. The Ringvaart adds another perspective as municipal heritage. Those more interested in walking and cycling routes can find practical points of reference for planning at the Jaagpad and along the routes beside the Ringvaart.
A meal in a former pumping station
QuatreBeach is located in the former pumping station in Lijnden. The restaurant has an industrial-style interior and a wooden terrace with sand. It serves breakfast, lunch, drinks and dinner. This means you can plan to stop for a meal at different times of day. As the menu and service may change, it is advisable to check the current options before visiting.
This can help you assess Lijnden based on which of these local features you would like to shape your stay most.
Discover more destinations: Schiphol-Rijk, Nieuw-Vennep, Hoofddorp, Halfweg, Schiphol, Vijfhuizen, Badhoevedorp, Zwanenburg.
For the broader travel overview: Haarlemmermeer.
