Fort Vechten

On our bike ride today, we called into Fort Vechton. This was part of the New Dutch Waterline, a defence line, almost 85 km long and 3 to 5 km wide, which runs from near Amsterdam in the north to Zeeland in the south. It was built between 1815 and 1885, and consisted of forts, bunkers and group shelters, together with a system of sluices, dikes and flood canals which could be used to flood the surrounding land quickly. The flooding was a shallow layer of water, about 40 to 50 cm deep, and it was designed to make the land treacherous and difficult to negotiate on foot, but was also not deep enough to navigate by boat. The aim of the New Dutch Waterline was to provide a protective ring around the cities in Holland and Utrecht.

An ingenious system, but had no chance to prove itself as a line of defence. However the forts and bunkers were used during the France-Prussian War in 1870, the First World War and the Second World War.

The New Dutch Waterline is now used for recreation activities, including opportunities to visit 60 defensive works, all of them different, plus cycling, walking, boating, dining, museums, guided tours and even for overnight accommodation.

We visited Fort Vechten, which is about a 20 minute bike ride from the centre of Houten. When the fort was built the main brick buildings were covered in soil, so they look like small hills, and the whole establishment was designed to represent a star shape.

The two former military sheds in the photo below are now used as an information centre and a cafe.
The building below would have once housed military personnel but the rooms can now be hired out for functions.
The narrow passage way, which runs along the back of the rooms looked very spooky. Not for me!
The rooms, which still contain the old stoves, look neglected but are very popular for parties and functions.
The moat, with the gun emplacement at the end.
On the way back we rode along a very picturesque path with wild flowers growing between the path and the corn. I presume the wild flowers were designed as companion plants for the corn.Off for a bike ride to Utrecht tomorrow.