Wooden shoes trail: Slagmaat trail – ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wooden shoes trails are fun! I’ve already picked out the next one. In this blog just a short description of the trail (a trail shortener 😉), a few photos and a simple sketch to illustrate. No need for a hiking map, the info on the wooden shoes trails website is clear enough.

This time a report about the Slagmaat trail.

My experience

The Slagmaat trail is a hiking trail of about 7 km just outside Bunnik in the Netherlands. The starting point is on the grounds of Fort Vechten, where you can also park. You can shorten the trail to 5 km or 2 km (just a loop around Fort Vechten). You can also start the trail from Houten at the Binnenweg car park. On Friday and Saturday, an alternative trail is possible along farm (shop) Nieuw Slagmaat. On other days, this alternative trail is closed. There is also a kids’ version of this trail.

I am starting at the bus stop Oud Ameliswaard near Bunnik with an approach trail of about 1 km towards Fort Vechten. Fort Vechten is home to the Waterliniemuseum. During opening hours, you can walk right through the fort and, of course, visit the museum. For me, it’s still too early, so I walk around the fort.

I walk along a very nice semi-unpaved path along the canal overlooking the fort outside. There are many viewpoints along the canal, but almost every spot is occupied by a fisherman.

After the path along the fort canal, I pass a wooden watchtower. Not only was the New Dutch Waterline part of this region, but the northern border of the Roman Empire, called the Roman Limes, reached this area. Fort Vechten was obviously not build yet, but a Roman temple once stood here: Castellum Fectio. A little further on, the contours of this temple have been reconstructed. The watchtower also refers to the Roman Limes. The trail does not (yet) go in the direction of Castellum Fectio, but I take a look anyway. I walk around the contours of the temple and then return to the trail.

I may finally, according to wooden shoes trail custom, enter the farmland near farm Nieuw Slagmaat. As it is Sunday, I have to stick to the main trail; the alternative trail along the farm is closed today. I walk past orchards and corn fields through tall grass. In no time, my shoes are completely soaked, which is the disadvantage of these unpaved paths. It’s time for waterproof shoes.

Trail guide about wooden shoes trails

There is a variant of the Slagmaat trail for children with assignments along the path. One assignment is to cross the water on a rickety little ferry, it’s more like a raft. Not knowing that this is for children, I take my chances. At the risk of getting wet, I manage to get to the other side. I take a break on a bench. As I continue, I see that I could have walked on and reached the other side via a fence 🙈. Well done again, Margrita!

I pass through the beautiful Nieuw Wulven nature reserve. I walk past more informative spots for children, such as a viewing platform and ring snake burrows. I hope to see a ring snake myself, but unfortunately. Via an extra loop, I go deeper into the nature reserve. I reach a kind of viewing hill with a nice view over the area. I sit down on a bench near the water and even see a kingfisher fly by. That is always worth an extra point for me.

I then walk through a more park-like area of the nature reserve, here I see more kingfishers flying by.

The trail then continues via Castellum Fectio back to Fort Vechten. The fort is still not open, it is not yet 10 o’clock. So I have to go around it again, this time choosing the paved road.

The photos

Final thoughts

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More hikes with a Roman touch

In the hikes below, you will come across more sights from or about Roman times.

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