Page 200 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - The Netherlands

198  WESTERN NE THERLANDS

Exploring Utrecht Province

The city of Utrecht is the central point of the province
and is therefore the ideal base for sightseeing in the
surrounding area. The Vinkeveense Plassen (Vinkeveense
Lakes) are popular for watersports, and nature lovers will
appreciate the woodland area of the Utrecht Heuvelrug.
There are castles in Amerongen and Wijk bij Duurstede The Vinkeveense Plassen, formed
and numerous imposing country houses along the Vecht. by peat excavations
Windmills and working farms can be spotted here and
there in the countryside. Many defence points, such as
in Woerden, serve as reminders of the turbulent
past of this province, which has been at stake Abcoude
during fierce battles more than once.
VINKEVEENSE
PLASSEN Vecht BUNSCHOTEN–
SPAKENBURG
LOENEN
Mijdrecht Vinkeveen BAARN
LAGE
COUNTRY ESTATES VUURSCHE SOESTDIJK
ON THE VECHT Loosdrechtse
Plassen
SOEST
Breukelen AMERSFOORT
SLOT Bilthoven
ZUYLEN
Maarssen
Groenekan Soesterberg Leusden
Vleuten De Bilt
The heksenwaag (witches’ scales)
in Oudewater
WOERDEN UTRECHT
NIEUWE HOLLANDSE WATERLINIE
Harmelen Zeist Woudenberg
De Meern
Getting Around UTRECHT
Larger towns have railway stations;
smaller ones can be reached easily Utrecht Heuvelrug
by bus. Utrecht, the capital of the Nieuwegein Driebergen
province, is the biggest railway Montfoort DOORN Veenendaal
junction in the Netherlands and OUDEWATER
so train connections from this IJsselstein Houten
town are excellent. There is also a Tull en Leersum
regional bus station. Utrecht has ‘t Waal AMERONGEN
a highly developed road network
and is served by important main Lopik Vianen WIJK BIJ Neder Rijn Elst
roads such as the A2 (north–south) DUURSTEDE
and the A12 (east–west), but there
is also a large number of minor RHENEN
roads, tourist routes and cycle Lek
paths in the area.
Key
Motorway
Main road
Minor road
Scenic route
Main railway
Minor railway
Rhenen, with its characteristic Cuneratoren National border
For map symbols see back flap

198-199_EW_Netherlands.indd 198 16/01/17 12:04 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Explorer template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.4)
Date 5th December 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm