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Volkerak

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Volkerak

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Volkerak

Recommended by 15 hikers out of 18

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Location: Moerdijk, North Brabant, Netherlands

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Best Hikes to Volkerak

4.6

(39)

186

hikers

1. Willemstad Marina – Town Hall. loop from Helwijk

17.7km

04:27

20m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

4.2

(30)

155

hikers

2. Raadhuis. – Jachthaven Willemstad loop from Willemstad

9.27km

02:20

10m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

4.5

(24)

113

hikers

3. Raadhuis. – View of Willemstad loop from Willemstad

10.3km

02:36

20m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

Tips

Viviane

February 10, 2025

The Volkerak locks, west of Willemstad, were built as part of the Delta Plan. A secondary dam had to be built in the Volkerak to close off the Oosterschelde and the Haringvliet. However, the closing off of the Volkerak, which was planned in 1969, would also block an important shipping route between Rotterdam/Germany and Antwerp/France. It was therefore decided to build a lock complex in the dam to be constructed.
The first two inland navigation locks were built in 1964. In 1977, the complex was expanded to the northwest with an additional lock for inland shipping, an inlet lock and finally a separate recreational lock. Bridges had already been built over the newly constructed locks: a fixed bridge and a double movable bascule bridge over the southern lock for commercial shipping. To the south of the locks are various service houses and a workshop and storage area for the emergency power supply and the nuclear shelter below. On the south bank of the Volkerak, at the beginning of the lock, there is a lookout tower, with a storage area for the reserve gates underneath. In addition, a new lock keeper's office was built around 2012; the old lock keeper's house between the eastern and middle locks was demolished shortly afterwards. At some distance from the locks on the south bank, there is another office and a door storage / workshop. In 1988, the complex was mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest inland shipping object in the world.

The commercial shipping locks are each 325 metres long and 24 metres wide. The locks are built of concrete and each has four pairs of steel doors; two pairs for ebb and two pairs for flood.

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Ilse Buitelaar

October 2, 2023

The Volkerak is a body of water located southeast of the South Holland island of Goeree-Overflakkee. On the east side of the Volkerak are the Volkerak locks to the Hollands Diep; The Krammer is located on the west side. In the south of the Volkerak, the Scheldt-Rhine Canal to Antwerp begins

Translated by Google •

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Informations

Elevation 50 m

Weather

Today

Monday 10 November

12°C

10°C

20 %

If you start your activity now...

Max wind speed: 13.0 km/h

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Location: Moerdijk, North Brabant, Netherlands

Other Popular Places to Check Out

Fortification Wall of Willemstad

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De Wachter Art Installation

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Haringvliet Wetlands and Highland Cattle

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Heilige Maagd Maria Kerk

Fort Sabina Henrica

Volkeraksluizen

Kanon

Lock Keeper's House Volkerak Locks

Fort de Hel

Volkerak

1. Willemstad Marina – Town Hall. loop from Helwijk

2. Raadhuis. – Jachthaven Willemstad loop from Willemstad

3. Raadhuis. – View of Willemstad loop from Willemstad

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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