In Uitdam, dike paths meet a local history closely connected to water and the Zuiderzee. A paved path for cyclists and pedestrians runs along the crest of the narrow Uitdammerdijk. The Aandammerroute offers a different focus: you can start it in Uitdam and travel on the water through reed-lined ditches. These differences can help you choose the right focus for planning your trip.
Walking or cycling along the dike
A paved, shared walking and cycling path runs along the crest of the Uitdammerdijk. The narrow dike gives the route its clear shape; here, walkers and cyclists use the same path. In the village itself, the cycling route runs on the road. South of Uitdam, the route returns to the dike. In this way, it alternates between the dike crest, a road section in the village and a return to the dike. Future works may affect the route.
If you are choosing between a tour along the dike and a trip on the water, the two options differ mainly in their surroundings and mode of travel: the paved path on the dike is designated for cyclists and pedestrians, while the Aandammerroute runs through narrow agricultural ditches. No walking time, route duration or distance is specified for these paths, so this information is not included in this guide.
Church, dike and local history
The Hervormde Kerk Uitdam was built in 1937 behind the former Zuiderzee dike. It replaced a wooden church dating from 1844 and is a municipal monument. The dike near Uitdam also has protected status: it is designated a provincial monument. The church and dike offer different historical points of interest if you would like to learn about the village not only as a starting point for routes, but also through its architecture and local history.
Uitdam was established in the 13th century with the construction of a dam where a small peatland stream flowed into the Zuiderzee. The village was built on a dam and is surrounded by water on all sides, giving it an island-like appearance, though it is not an island. Its location explains why the dam and water feature so prominently in the village’s history. Another maritime distinction: Uitdam residents built large ship camels. Filled with ballast water, they were intended to lift ships over sandbanks.
Water landscape and the Aandammerroute
The Aandammerroute can start in Uitdam and runs outside the villages through narrow agricultural ditches. Reeds line the ditches and provide shelter for reed birds. This makes the route very different from the paved path along the dike crest: here, the focus is on paddling through ditches; there, on walking or cycling. The landscape of the Waterland region is green and rich in water, with low-lying meadows, ponds, long ditches, winding dikes, bridges, cows, reeds, farms and old villages.
For planning your trip, these themes are easy to distinguish: the dike path accommodates both cyclists and pedestrians on a paved route, while the Aandammerroute takes you through ditches and reed-lined banks. The church and the history of the dam add concrete local history to this landscape. When searching for hotels in Uitdam, you can decide whether you want to focus your trip mainly on dike paths, the waterscape or the village’s historical heritage.
Discover more destinations: Watergang, Broek In Waterland, Marken, Ilpendam, Katwoude, Monnickendam, Purmer, Zuiderwoude.
For the overarching travel overview: Waterland.
