The Molenviergang Aarlanderveen is the world’s only still-functioning chain of windmills. For travelers, this brings a special connection into focus: a mill system with a purpose that continues to this day. Two walking trails pass by mills and differ both in length and in how many mills they include. Other sites tell the story of water management, local history and remembrance.

The Molenviergang and water management

The Molenviergang channels excess water from the deep polder of Aarlanderveen into the Oude Rijn. Wind, sails and four experienced millers work together to do this. The complex is therefore not merely a group of historic windmills, but a functioning water management system: the polder is where the water starts, and the Oude Rijn is its destination. This ongoing function is precisely what sets the Molenviergang apart from a mere glimpse into the past and makes it a distinctive feature of a stay in Aarlanderveen.

Two mill walks of different lengths

The Polderwandeling is about 4 kilometers long and passes the Ondermolen and the Putmolen. The Molentocht is longer, at about 8.5 kilometers, and follows all four mills of the Molenviergang. The choice can therefore be based on two specific considerations: the approximate route length and whether the focus should be on two named mills or all four mills in the chain. Both walks start at the parking area at the intersection of Kerkvaartsweg and Achtermiddenweg in Aarlanderveen.

The condition of the paths is also important when planning. These mill walks require you to climb over several fences; occasionally, you have to cross a ditch using a plank. Path conditions may vary seasonally, and access information may change. Before setting out, check local parking conditions and the latest information about the paths. This means your choice takes into account not only the distance but also the path conditions described.

The Kerkvaart as a historic transport route

The Molentocht follows the Kerkvaartspad along the Kerkvaart. The canal has long served as a waterway connecting the Oude Rijn and the village of Aarlanderveen. So, in addition to the mills, the walk also takes in the history of a waterway that linked the river and the village. The route can therefore be understood not only by its approximate length and the number of mills it passes, but also by the historical context of the Kerkvaart.

Cultural and memorial sites

The Hervormde Kerk Aarlanderveen is a Rijksmonument because of its authentic furnishings and the medieval priest’s tombstone in the churchyard. The Verzetsmonument in Aarlanderveen offers a different perspective: the white natural-stone sculpture depicts a young male figure with his back against a wall. It commemorates three local resistance fighters who died in a German concentration camp in 1945.

The Putmolen is another of the village’s specific historical landmarks. It was built in 1801 to drain a remaining peat lake of more than 100 hectares in the Drooggemaakte Polder west of Aarlanderveen. This date and stated purpose give the history of water and land management a distinct point of reference in time. The Putmolen is also on the approximately 4-kilometer Polderwandeling, bringing a historical detail together with one of the routes described.

There are several different themes to choose from: the still-functioning chain of windmills, the two walks and their different lengths, the historic role of the Kerkvaart, and the church, monument and Putmolen. Visitors who want to focus on the mills can choose between a route passing two named mills and a longer route passing all four. The other sites add religious architectural history, the history of drainage and remembrance of the resistance to this picture.

Discover more destinations: Zwammerdam, Alphen Aan Den Rijn.

Go to the main travel overview: Alphen Aan Den Rijn.