Fort Rammekens near Ritthem is the oldest sea fort in Western Europe. Rammekenshoek and an intertidal salt marsh beyond the dike offer a different perspective on Walcheren; the Inundatiemonument and traces of the Vlissingen Landfront tell the story of wartime history. When planning your trip, you can give different weight to historical sites, nature and the connection to Vlissingen. Cycle paths to the fort and the starting point of a walking route offer practical guidance.

Fort Rammekens, cycle paths and walking route

Fort Rammekens was built between 1547 and 1552 on the orders of Mary of Hungary, the sister of Charles V. Its purpose was to monitor the shipping route to Middelburg and Antwerp. Its history is therefore directly connected to an important waterway. Those interested in historic fortifications will find a place in Ritthem where the fort’s purpose and long construction history can be considered together.

Fort Rammekens can be reached by bike from Vlissingen via the sea dike along the Western Scheldt, or from Ritthem along Ritthemsestraat. The fort is also on the ANWB cycle network. From Ritthem, you can return to Vlissingen along the dike on foot or by bike. This connection offers a practical way to plan your stay around Ritthem and Vlissingen without treating the two places as a single day-trip destination.

The ANWB walking route “Uitwaaien op Walcheren” starts at Fort Rammekens. If you arrive by public transport, you can start at Vlissingen railway station; this adds 4.3 kilometres to the route. The extra distance is a clear difference between the two starting points and may factor into your choice of route. Check the current route before setting out, as route conditions may change.

Nature in Rammekenshoek

Rammekenshoek covers about 80 hectares and is one of the natural areas on Walcheren. These areas are accessible year-round; sensitive areas are closed to the public. This access rule is also a practical reminder that not every part of the area is open to visitors.

Near Fort Rammekens, beyond the dike, lies Walcheren’s (still) only salt marsh. A salt marsh is an area formed by the sea. Here you will find tidal creeks, muddy banks and salt-loving plants; coastal birds such as redshanks, oystercatchers and grey plovers also nest there. This brings two different natural settings together: the larger area of Rammekenshoek and the distinctive habitat of the salt marsh.

Some parts of Rammekenshoek have designated off-leash areas for dogs. There, dogs may run free year-round, as long as they remain under control and on the paths. If you are out with a dog, this distinction between areas is important: the rule applies to the designated areas, not to every part of the nature reserve.

Memorials and military traces

The Inundatiemonument of Ritthem stands on the beach near Ritthem. The six-metre-high column is made of individual concrete blocks and is both incomplete and damaged. It commemorates the Allied bombing of German positions at the mouth of the Scheldt on 7 October 1944. The Nolledijk near Vlissingen was destroyed, and the area was flooded. The monument’s form and condition are part of its appearance, along with the history it commemorates.

Near Ritthem, a tank wall built in 1942, with machine-gun positions in Tobruks and remnants of an anti-tank ditch, is part of the Vlissingen Landfront complex. Another structure is the personnel accommodation building, type Regelbau 502, also built in 1942 at Rammekensweg 5 in Ritthem. It is part of the Vlissingen Landfront complex within the Eschwege strongpoint. Together, these structures represent different elements of the military defences: a wall, positions, remnants of a ditch and an accommodation building.

The church in Ritthem also bears traces of history. It was damaged during the conflict between the Spanish and the Geuzen; its restoration continued until 1611. Alongside the Landfront structures and the Inundatiemonument, this history adds another point of reference for a stay focused on Ritthem’s historic sites.

Discover more destinations: Vlissingen, Oost-Souburg.

Go to the main travel guide: Vlissingen.