At Cuijk, the Meuse takes a bend. With an elegant sweep, it emerges from its valley in Limburg and turns westwards. There it joins the circle of "grote rivieren", the great rivers of the Netherlands. The Nederrijn-Lek is one of them, as is the Waal-Merwede. In the past, the Meuse flowed into the Waal and was thus part of the Rhine's drainage system. However, it was cut off in time for flood protection reasons and channelled via Amer to the Hollandsdiep, which also takes in the Nieuwe Merwede.
Here, along Nieuwe Merwede in the north and Amer in the south, a web of countless waterways stretches out, an "Amazonia", wild and tame at the same time, the refuge of a fascinating world of plants and animals. Skippers are allowed to navigate this wonderland - De Biesbosch National Park.
Old Cuijk, the starting point of our journey to the Biesbosch, lies at the southern entrance to the Maas bend. The bend in the river has impressed visitors since time immemorial. Cuijk" contains the Celtic "keukja", which means "bend". The name of the town's historical museum is reminiscent of the Roman term "ceuclum". The Ceuclum collection covers a period of 12,000 years and is housed in the "Martinustoren". The 15th century tower, together with the modern Martinus Church and an imposing flood defence, characterise the view of Cuijk. Below the ensemble lies the city's pedestrian harbour (Limburgse Maas-km 162). Overnight stays are not permitted here, which does not seem desirable in this choppy location.
It gets cosier on the bend. At Mook (Limburgse Maas-km 164.5), a narrow waterway branches off to the Mookerplas. After about 25 minutes, we reach our destination: in front of us is a quarry pond area, very pleasant but manageable, with camping facilities and a bathing beach, boat moorings surrounded by greenery and two friendly harbours that also offer guest moorings.
After Mook, the route turns the corner. Even before it joins the Maas-Waalkanaal, the Maas leaves the last corner of Limburg behind. It no longer needs its nickname "Limburgse". And so, for the time being, it makes its way as the "Maas". One kilometre downstream of the confluence of the Maas-Waalkanaal with the Maas, at Maas-km 167, is the entrance to another lake area: the Kraaijenbergse Plassen.
Through a lock, which is usually open, we first pass through industrial terrain, which is not exciting but is quickly overcome. On the starboard side, after the second bridge, it gets nice, and after the third bridge it is really beautiful (lowest bridge clearance height 7.30 metres). The Kraaijenbergse Plassen have plenty of moorings, either in harbours or on the shore. The new Brasker marina, for example, is an attractive place to stay. The marina has a small catering establishment. In the nearby village of Linden there is also a pancake restaurant, the "Herberghe de Pannecoecke". The centre of Cuijk is around 6 km away by land.
The Kraaijenbergse Plassen still cannot completely deny that they have their origins in sand and gravel extraction. What took place in the area up until 1942 also left its mark - such as residential mounds. Back then, decades before the excavators moved in and the lake district was created, the area belonged to the "Beerse Overlaat". This refers to an area near Beers, south-west of Linden, which was deliberately flooded by the Meuse at high tide in order to relieve regions further downstream.
The area of the "Beerse Overlaat" was sparsely populated, but when the flood came, the inhabitants had no choice but to flee. Cannon shots from the neighbouring Grave heralded the arrival of the water. In 1930, "L'Intriguant" and "Le Partisan", two French guns from the 18th century, warned of the flooding of the "Beerse Overlaat" for the last time - quite officially. Today, the two veterans are enjoying a quiet rest on the Meuse quay at Grave (Meuse kilometre 175).
We like the old fortified town with its shops, galleries and restaurants. The W.V. "De Stuw", which runs a neat club harbour, is also nice. We would undoubtedly have been shaken up at Grave's passer-by jetty, as it is located in the river and almost opposite the entrance to the lock. And this is heavily frequented, at least during our visit.
As we enter the upper water of the Sluis Grave, the commercial and leisure boats are jostling for space. Around an hour and a half later, we finally reach the lower water. Compared to the experiences of other skippers, we made good time. The Sluis Grave has one drawback: the two-chamber lock operates as a single lock. According to the Dutch road and hydraulic engineering authority Rijkswaterstaat, this will not change in the foreseeable future. According to a study, neither the new construction nor the modernisation of the Grave lock would pay off.
The fact that the Sluis Grave can occasionally become a bottleneck is also recognised by Rijkswaterstaat. Shorter maintenance intervals are therefore intended to ensure that malfunctions do not hinder lock operations. In July, according to Rijkswaterstaat, the average waiting time at the Grave lock was 25 minutes and the total transit time 44 minutes. We were travelling in autumn and must have had a bad day.
The route continues down the Meuse. Ravenstein (kilometre 182 on the Meuse) and Batenburg (kilometre 185.5 on the Meuse) are once again places that tempt you to make a flying visit. In Ravenstein, a former fortified town, the W.V. "Windkracht 13" offers guest moorings. Depending on your mood, the harbour can be described as either cramped or cosy - we opted for the latter. If your stomach is rumbling: "t Veerhuis" is close to W.V. "Windkracht 13". Shopping facilities can be found in the town centre.
The little village of Batenburg looks very pretty on the shore. The W.V. "'t Haventje" harbour offers places for passers-by. A restaurant, "De Viersprong", is just a few metres from the harbour. A little further on, to the north of Batenburg, we once again come across a fortress - or at least what remains of it. The Meuse has become wide. It flows along without haste and causes no problems at the helm. Gently rocking, birds of a feather doze on the shiny surface of the water. It makes you ponder.
The Dutch "zee" means "sea", and "meer" means the Teutonic "lake". A dredging hole is often a "plas", which means "pond". So far, so good. But what is a "ham", which means "ham", doing in this context? The lake areas "De Gouden Ham" and "De Lithse Ham" certainly whet the appetite for a detour.
"De Gouden Ham" (entrance Maas-km 192.5) was created by regulation measures and sand extraction. Today, the area is a perfectly cultivated recreational area. At the entrance to "De Gouden Ham" is Maasbommel, a small town with pubs and a supermarket. Instead of one of the comfortable marinas, we are drawn to a mooring in the countryside, of which there are several here. The boat's diesel engine hums quietly as it pushes us through the water. The season is drawing to a close, and "De Gouden Ham" is filled with autumnal serenity. The sun sparkles like on summer days long gone - beautiful.
Below the Prinses Maximasluizen near Lith, which we can pass in no time at all, we come across "De Lithse Ham" (entrance Maas-km 206). The lake area, which also has its origins in sand extraction, is more manageable than "De Gouden Ham". The marina is part of a holiday complex and has the usual facilities. Where to stop for refreshments: the "Goed Toeven" brasserie, just a few hundred metres from the jetties.
Behind "De Lithse Ham", the Meuse takes a cosy course and we don't notice anything. To the south-west of Heerewaarden, it comes within 1000 metres of the Waal, and it is rumoured that a liaison took place at this point in the past. Although the two are still close to this day, they no longer travel here directly. The Maas and Waal only maintain contact via the Kanaal van St. Andries (entrance Maas-km 209). The connection lies a little to the south of Heerewaarden and is around two kilometres long. It takes its name from St Andries, a fortress whose remains can be found north of the canal lock.
And once again we reach a dredging hole: "De Zandmeren" (entrance Maas-km 211.5). Several harbours offer guest berths here. We moor at "De Brink", a good address. In addition to the marina restaurant, the brasserie "De Oude Klipper" is also close to the berth. The pleasant town of Kerkdriel with its pubs and shops is around 20 minutes' walk away.
The Gekanaliseerde Dieze branches off at Maas km 221.5 and takes you to the provincial capital of 's-Hertogenbosch, around 5 km away. Den Bosch, as the capital of Noord-Brabant is also known, is the birthplace of one of the Netherlands' most famous painters: Jheronimus Bosch, the 500th anniversary of whose death will be celebrated in 2016. There are several moorings close to the centre of Den Bosch, for example before the start of the Zuidwillemsvaart. The canal would take us back to Limburg, but we want to go to the Biesbosch. So we postpone our excursion to the former fortified town of Den Bosch until later. Fortified town, again! Grave, Ravenstein, Batenburg, 's-Hertogenbosch, further downstream Heusden and Geertruidenberg. What was going on here?
Time and again, over the centuries, the mighty of Europe waged war on the region. A fate that the "grote rivieren", the great rivers of the Netherlands, share with other strategically important rivers. The Meuse was hit hard during the Dutch struggle for freedom in the 16th and 17th centuries. The river, which runs like a natural demarcation line from east to west between Mook and its mouth, had to serve as a border between Protestants in the north and Catholics in the south for long stretches of time.
Step by step, the opponents, the Netherlands and Spain, expanded their positions on the Meuse and in the hinterland. Fortresses fell sometimes to one side, sometimes to the other. Often the conflicts also meant the loss of the homeland, as in 's-Hertogenbosch. When the city leadership sided with the Spanish in 1579, thousands of people left.
Today, most of the fortified towns look proper and spruced up. Including Heusden (kilometre 230 on the Meuse), probably the most beautiful place on our journey. Two windmills high above the marina are striking landmarks. The fortress ring with its ramparts and bastions is just as authentically restored as the town centre. Heusden has a fine, cosy atmosphere and it is fun to stroll through the streets or stop off at one of the restaurants on the Vismarkt. The boat is also well catered for. We stayed at the pedestrian landing stage, which is run by W.V. "Heusden". Of course, the old city harbour is even more atmospheric.
The river below us is now called the Bergse Maas. Behind this is - typically Dutch - a masterpiece of hydraulic engineering. In the 19th century, the Meuse still flowed into the Waal north-west of Heusden. When the branch of the Rhine flooded, it was not uncommon for it to flow back into the Meuse, which in turn overflowed its banks. To solve this dilemma, the confluence of the two rivers was prevented and the Meuse was given a new bed, which it occupied in 1904. Since then, it has flowed down the valley as the Bergse Maas for around 24 kilometres before flowing into the Amer at Biesbosch.
One navigable waterway remains from the old course of the Meuse to the Waal: the Afgedamde Maas, which is connected to the Bergse Maas near Heusden via the Heusdenskanaal. If the youngsters on board are now keen for a change, a stop in Waalwijk (Bergse Maas-km 236) can work wonders. Because from both marinas there, it is only a good 10 kilometres to a superlative amusement park - the Efteling.
In a way, it is also a leisure park, but it was created by nature, accompanied by man: De Biesbosch National Park. We're almost there, and in our mind's eye we can already see balsam on the shore and beavers crossing our course. The Amercentrale appears on our port side, a mighty power station on the Amer that is as romantic as a battery. Our reveries collapse for the time being. After all, the Amer is a normal traffic route. After about 12 kilometres, it meets the Nieuwe Merwede, formerly the Boven Merwede and Waal, in Hollandsdiep.
The De Biesbosch National Park lies to the north of the Amer and can only be reached via access roads. Its magic can hardly be guessed from the river. Before we enter this "Amazonia", we head for a modern marina, the Marina Drimmelen (Amer-km 253). You can buy the essentials at the neighbouring campsite. Drimmelen itself, which can sometimes groan under the crowds of tourists on nice summer days, seems quiet and introverted on this autumn day, which suits this small town very well. The café-restaurant "'t Voske" is the place to go if you want a nice break and a view of the Amer. We first visit the Biesbosch Visitor Centre not far from the harbour and get in the mood for what comes next.
De Biesbosch: The area covers around 90 km² and is therefore just under a fifth of the size of Bremen. Dordtse Biesbosch and Sliedrechtse Biesbosch lie to the north of the Nieuwe Merwede, while the Brabantse Biesbosch stretches south to the Amer. The area has had national park status since 1994. We enter the Brabantse Biesbosch via the Spijkererboor access road on the other side of the Amercentrale.
It was the night of 18 to 19 November 1421 and the wind was blowing at gale force on Holland's north-west coast, pushing seawater towards the delta - the "Saint Elisabeth tide". It tore the land apart and left behind vast expanses of water. But the cycle of growth and decay soon resumed. Tides formed tidal creeks and mudflats. Rivers brought mud, plants returned. Man created polders and land became permanently dry.
The world of the Biesbosch emerged, a labyrinth of large and small watercourses, one of the last freshwater tidal areas in Europe. The tidal range still prevails here. Since the Haringsvliet was completed in 1970, the normal tidal range is still around 35 cm. And this can be decisive under certain circumstances. As soon as the Spijkerboor is behind us, the buoyage ends. No problem, there is enough water across the entire width of the following lanes Middelste Gat van het Zand, Steurgat and Nauw van Paulus. The approach to Jachthaven Hank, which starts south of the last starboard buoy "SP 7", also presents no difficulties. The idyllic harbour, which also has a restaurant, is an excellent place to stop.
But we are drawn further into the Biesbosch. As we enter the Ruigt of Reugt, we are greeted by an astonishing expanse - marvellous. But a glance at the map puts a damper on any exuberance: from now on, we have to find our way between the shallows. There is still no sign of fairway markings. We have every conceivable and recommended chart on board, including the tide table. Nevertheless, all the paper is only good for rough navigation at best, and we have to be very careful not to get lost in the maze of waterways.
Our GPS plotter, for which there is no Biesbosch map at the time of the trip, is only of limited help. Landmarks help us to orientate ourselves, but there are only a few, the area is simply green. The echo sounder is used to further synchronise the chart image and position. Our draught is no cause for concern: 0.74 metres.
Full jetties, rows of moorings, canoes, "whisper boats", excursion boats - none of the things that fill the Biesbosch with life in the high season can be found on this autumn day. We are among ourselves. And therefore very close to nature. Grey lies over the area, the light is diffuse and blurs contours. Unfamiliar bird calls waft over from the dark banks. Somewhere, a dilapidated wooden hut peeps out of the undergrowth, an enchanted place, it seems.
The "Binsenwald", the German translation of "Biesbosch", is home to many things: water shrews and foxes, for example, dragonflies and beetles, willows and wild herbs, as well as kingfishers and nightingales. There - we see something gliding through the water. A beaver? Five pairs were settled in the Biesbosch in 1988. In the meantime, the beaver population has grown to around 150 animals.
If you want to explore deep into the Biesbosch, you should explore (authorised) side routes - for example by dinghy. Another tip: look for a jetty near a designated hiking route. You can also moor up at the Biesbosch Museum south of the Gat van de Hardenhoek and reach a "wandelpad". The museum tells the story of the people who lived here in the old days: fishermen, duck hunters and those who cut willow and thatch under the toughest conditions.
There are several easy mooring options in the Biesbosch. We liked the ones at Gat van Van Kampen, for example. The same applies when approaching moorings: be careful, there could be shallows lurking. We leave the national park via the Noordergat van de Vissen. One thing remains to be said: we also got caught in the Biesbosch. Despite all our foresight and foresight, this unpleasant moment has occurred, which says without a doubt: we are stuck. Gently embedded in silt, but still. The wind has imperceptibly shifted us into a fairway that meanders through a wide stretch of water, narrow and once again completely unaccentuated. The propeller is still turning freely and pulls us out of the predicament. If you look around you, a slide like this is probably one of them. Just like it is when you have a real "Amazonia" under your keel.
WHAT SKIPPERS NEED TO KNOW
The MeuseWe travelled on the Limburgse Maas, Maas, Bergse Maas and the Amer (91 river km in total). The maximum permitted speed on the river section described is 20 km/h, exceptions see cruising guide and maps. The bridge clearance heights were more than sufficient for us (boat height 2.71 m). Locks: Sluis Grave, Prinses Maximasluizen (Lith).
The tides Downstream of the Prinses Maximasluizen in Lith, the tide also has an effect on the water level. The fluctuations on the Meuse below the Prinses Maximasluizen can amount to a maximum of around 0.40 metres. The current speed in this area is around 1 km/h for both ebb and flood tides. The water level in De Biesbosch National Park is influenced by the tides, the discharge of the rivers and regulation measures on the Haringvlietsluizen also play a role. The rise and fall of the water in the Brabantse Biesbosch is around 0.35 metres, but under certain circumstances it can be as much as 0.70 metres. For details, see ANWB-Waterkaart N (Biesbosch). A tidal calendar is included in the Wateralmanak 2 of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Toeristenbond ANWB, see sailing guide and charts.
The BiesboschThere are certain regulations for sailing and mooring in De Biesbosch National Park. A summary can be found in the map "Varen in de Biesbosch - waterkaart met toelichting", which we purchased at the Biesbosch Visitor Centre in Drimmelen. The map also indicates the walking routes in the area. As the Biesbosch is still subject to natural changes, water maps can be inaccurate. This should also be taken into account when navigating by notebook.
The refuelling optionsBetween Cuijk and Drimmelen there are bunkering facilities at Mookerplas (Jachthaven Eldorado, D/B), Niftrik (Z.R.M.V. De Batavier, D), Lithoijen (Van Hulst D/B/S), Kerkdriel (including Bunkerstation Kerkdriel D/B), Heusden (Watersportcentrum Legerstee, D/B), Geertruidenberg (Bunkercentrum Dongemond, D/B), Drimmelen (including Biesbosch Marina Drimmelen, D/B).
The reclining optionsThe annually updated Wateralmanak 2 of the Koninklijke
Nederlandse Toeristenbond ANWB, see sailing guide and maps.
The cruising guides and charts
