Alkmaar Lakes Cruise

We offer many tours in combination with other fun activities, such as:

• City tour of Alkmaar with City Guild Guide
• Escape room
• Minigolf
• Solex tour with guide
• A nice bike ride with a guide
• Visit the beer museum

Send us a message or call 072 515 94 90 to schedule an individual day trip. Price on request.

History of the Alkmaardermeer

The Alkmaardermeer was originally, like the largest part of Holland, a swamp formed marsh area. In the Middle Ages, peat was cultivated as agricultural land. For this purpose, trenches were excavated to drain the excess water into the peat flow flowing through the area. Dehydration was the reason that the peat settled in the long term more and more.

During the storms and flood conditions, whole plots of land were washed away along the river, creating more and more open water. This culminated in the Flood of All Saints of 1170. Due to the consequences of this flood, Alkmaardermeer, like many other lakes in North Holland, has largely taken its final form.

Along the current Alkmaardermeer ran a river that connected, inter alia, the Oer-ij with the Schermer. One river that connected with it was the bull that flowed to the Starnsee. It is very likely that people lived along the river that gave rise to the Alkmaardermeer.

However, none of these settlements can be found. There are a number of islands in the lake that are remnants of the land that was there. Examples are the “Saskerlij”, the “Nes” and the “Dijker Hemme”. Over the centuries, the part of the Oer-ij that emanated from the Alkmaardermeer gradually clogged, and in the 17th century the shearer was drained. In addition to recreation, the Alkmaardermeer is used throughout the year as a sailing route for ships that travel from Zaanstreek to Noord Holland Kanaal, for example, to reach Alkmaar or Den Helder.

Source: Wikipedia