Hoogwoud combines practical guidance for walks with cultural sites dating from different centuries. Several routes are signposted in the village centre; Molen De Lastdrager and the Hervormde Kerk Hoogwoud offer different points of interest in architectural history. A rose garden and canoe trips add further activity options. When planning your trip, it helps to distinguish route lengths and starting points from historical dates: they answer different questions about what you can do and what to look out for at the cultural sites.

Mills and church: putting architectural history in context

Molen De Lastdrager is an octagonal grain mill of the Grondzeiler type, built in the 17th century. Its octagonal framework, however, dates from 1522 and is considered probably the oldest octagonal framework in the Netherlands. The dates therefore refer to different things: 1522 dates the framework, not the construction of the entire mill. This makes it possible to put the building’s history in context without equating the age of the framework with the mill’s construction date. Flour is available there when the mill is open.

The Hervormde Kerk Hoogwoud also brings together different periods. It was rebuilt in 1680 on the site of a cruciform Gothic church. The tower’s two lower levels consist of masonry dating from shortly after 1472; the church also contains a 15th-century baptismal font. The rebuilding, older parts of the tower and historic furnishings each tell a different chapter of the building’s history. This comparison is particularly illuminating for anyone interested in cultural history: dating a building element answers a different question from dating the church’s reconstruction.

More stories from the past

The Museumboerderij West-Frisia is housed in a farmhouse dating from 1857. Visitors hear stories about earlier generations there. Molen de Vier Winden tells a different story of a building: it was built in 1891 after its predecessor burned down in October 1890. The examples highlight different things: on the one hand, stories about earlier generations; on the other, the sequence of a fire followed by new construction.

Walking routes with named starting points

Several walking routes are signposted in the village centre of Hoogwoud with KNAU signs and stickers on lampposts. Their starting points are De Lindehof and Sportcentrum De Weyver. One route with a stated distance is “Genieten in Hoogwoud”: it is 9 km long and passes through part of Hoogwoud. If you plan around a specific distance, you can take this information into account directly.

Several walking routes also start from the Toeristisch Overstap Punt (TOP) near Hoogwoud, including the Opmeerder Wuivertocht. The route information differs: starting points are specified for the routes in the village centre, “Genieten in Hoogwoud” has a stated distance, and several routes start from the TOP. This lets you distinguish between specific starting points, a route with a stated distance and other walks from the TOP when planning your walk.

Rose garden and canoe trips

Rosarium De Rozenhof has a show garden with about 140 varieties of roses. This approximate number gives rose enthusiasts a specific focus for planning an outing. If you would rather be on the water, you can plan a canoe trip with Camping De Gouw: trips are offered for holidaymakers or as a day trip. From Camping De Gouw, you can reach the city of Medemblik by canoe without portaging. The show garden and a specific water route therefore offer different outing options alongside the signposted walking routes.

Discover more destinations: De Weere, Opmeer, Aartswoud

Go to the broader travel overview: Opmeer.