July 2025 – Part 2 (16th-31st)
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Mooring points:-
- Zaandam on Zaan river @ exit from Wilhelminasluis, 15-17 July
- Starteiland, Alkmaardemeer, 18 July
- Alkmaar, Noordhollands canal, 18/19 July
- Nelson Mandelabrug, (connects Beverkoog to Heerhugowaard) Kolhorn river, Nr Alkmaar, 19-22 July
- Noord Scharwoude, Alkmaar-Omval Kolhorn canal, 22-26 July
- Nr Twuyvermolen, Alkmaar-Omval Kolhorn canal, 26-30 July
Zaandam is a town on the river Zaan, well-known for the quirky (mostly green) housing at its centre, as well as the historic windmills and wooden houses in nearby Zaanse Schanse. Historically Zaandam played a significant role in the Dutch whaling industry, and whales are incorporated into the town’s coat of arms.
The traditional almost 70 stacked Zaan houses, primarily built during the 17/18th centries, were painted green due to the availability and affordability of the pigment at the time. However, one was eventually painted blue following the creation by Claude Monet in 1871 of his famous ‘La Maison Bleue’ in which he painted a blue Zaan house!
At one time there were hundreds of windmills in the Zaan area, many of which powered saws for both shipbuilding and paper industries. However, most of those windmills were relocated to Zaanse Schanse from the wider Zaan region for preservation, and the windmills based here now include working sawmills, oil mills (producing oils such as linseed oil, rapeseed oil and colza oil), a paint mill and a spice mill. The town is also historically linked with the whaling industry.
Leaving Zaandam we moved on to Alkmaar, making a brief stop at Zaanse Schanse before overnighting at Starteiland in Alkmaardemeer, where we all jumped in to cool down in the lake and have a play around with the paddle board, which Pip absolutely adored.
Arriving at Alkmaar, we quickly moored up outside of the Harbourmaster’s office below the clock tower, and during her ‘lunch break’ we took Lucy off to visit the weekly cheese market in the centre.
Later in the day Lucy and Nicki went for a wander along the little streets around the centre, and managed to stroll along a redlight area (which amused Lucy that her mum said hello and waved to a couple of the girls!) with groups of men looking at the window ‘displays’. The evening was quite pleasant, not so much overnight though as being close to the clock tower we were very aware that its bells rang on the quarter hour, the half hour and hourly! Plus the motorbikes and cars zooming past on the road, and some speedy motor boats during the night.
Following Lucy’s departure the following morning, Nicki and I decided to move on (we couldn’t face another noisy night, plus we’d visited Alkmaar before), and moved onto a mooring just by the Nelson Mandelabrug on the Kolhorn river, where we ended up staying for three nights.
Here we chatted with catamaran owners, Jab and Yvonne, who had also set up ahead of us, together with their lovely German shepherd.
Whilst there we all got together a few times for drinks, and for a bbq one evening, so that was a pleasant few days.
We left our new friends behind on 22nd July and carried on along this stretch of water, finally stopping at a similar style of mooring as before, just ahead of a sluis, with a short walk into the town of Noord Scharwoude. So far the public 3x24hr moorings all seem alike – an enclosed grassy area with access to a hiking path along which sheep graze, more or less perfect for us with the dogs, so long as we either keep them on lead whilst passing sheep or check the sheep have moved away to another area.
Noord Scharwoude was another quiet berth, so we stopped there for four nights and I was able to do some more jobs, including sanding of the mast and front windows followed by several coats of woodstain.
From here we turned back along the river towards Alkmaar again, aiming to make a very slow journey with several stops as we had a week to reach the town so that Nicki could pick up a train to Schipol for her return to the UK on 2nd August. Just a mere 25 minutes further along we found our mooring and slid into place, to be joined less than half an hour later by Jab and Yvonne heading in the opposite direction. They stayed for a coffee and chat before continuing their own journey, and we settled in for the duration.
We stopped here for four nights, taking frequent 20 minute walks to check our targeted mooring near the train station. When there looked like there was a space, we moved down to it.
We were now on a position to easily access the train station so we decided to stock up on supplies at the nearest supermarket. This did not go well. The route took us to a lot of construction work and we couldn’t find our way through so I gave in and asked for directions. Eventually getting back on track after our massive detour. Still a chance to stop for coffee.
Whilst here I took the opportunity to order some bits for delivery to the local DIY store. That all worked out well.
So that was the end of July with Nicki ready to catch her flight on 2nd August.
Twuyvermolen, Alkmaar-Omval Kolhorn canal 26-30
