Nineteen windmills stand in two rows along the canals at Kinderdijk, their sails turning slowly against the wide Dutch sky, and it is one of the most iconic sights in the Netherlands. They were built in the eighteenth century to pump water out of the Alblasserwaard, a low-lying polder between the rivers Lek and Noord, which would otherwise be flooded. Each mill lifted water from a lower canal to a higher one, and from there it was let out into the river. Over time steam, diesel and electric pumping stations took over the job, and the most recent ones still keep the polder dry today. The mill network was listed by UNESCO in 1997.
The name Kinderdijk means child's dike, and it comes from a legend about the great Saint Elizabeth's flood of 1421, when a wooden cradle was found floating on the floodwater with a baby and a cat inside, the cat jumping from side to side to keep the cradle balanced. Some of the mills are still inhabited by millers, and a few are open to visitors, giving a glimpse of life inside, with cramped living quarters around the machinery.
The area is a classic Dutch landscape: flat green polders, ditches, cows and sheep, lined by dikes along the rivers, where long barges glide by. Herons stalk the ditches, and in winter, when the canals freeze, the mills are a romantic backdrop for skaters. Nearby Schoonhoven is a small, fortified town known for its silversmiths.
The riding is flat and relaxed. Narrow roads run along the tops of the dikes, with views over the rivers and polders, and small ferries cross the rivers at several points, a charming way to get around. Traffic is moderate, but the dikes are popular with cyclists, so ride gently. Wind is a constant companion, and in autumn and winter, fog and rain are common. The area around Kinderdijk can be busy with tourists, especially in summer, so arrive early or late.
Alblasserdam, about two kilometres away, has fuel, shops and cafés. Try a plate of poffertjes, small fluffy pancakes dusted with sugar, or a herring sandwich, and walk or cycle along the canals to see the mills up close.