Groot Ammers via Tiendweg

This is a long, ruler-flat day through classic Dutch polder country in the Alblasserwaard (province of Zuid-Holland): big skies, drainage ditches, reed-lined canals, dairy pastures, and long straight farm lanes where the horizon barely changes. At ~42 km / ~26 mi with roughly 0 m / 0 ft of climbing, the challenge isn’t elevation—it’s time on feet, wind exposure, and keeping your pace steady on hard, level surfaces.

For a practical starting landmark near Groot-Ammers, aim for Tiendweg, 2964 GE, Groot-Ammers (the Tiendweg address point is commonly listed as Tiendweg 1, 2964 GE). (wambla.nl)
If you prefer a very easy “pin” for meeting up, Fortuynplein (Groot-Ammers) is a central village square used as a reference point for local services and bus routing. (appassets.mvtdev.com)

Getting to the start (car + public transport)

By car - Groot-Ammers sits in the Molenlanden municipality in the Green Heart region; parking is typically easiest near village facilities rather than on narrow farm roads. If you’re using Tiendweg as your start, plan to park in/near the village core and walk a few minutes to the lane so you’re not blocking agricultural access.

By public transport - The area is served by regional buses; a commonly referenced stop is Groot-Ammers, Kade, and local timetables show service in the village including Fortuynplein. (appassets.mvtdev.com)
- For planning exact connections on the day (service can vary by time/day), use the Dutch journey planner (9292 is the standard nationwide planner). (en.wikipedia.org)

What the route feels like underfoot

Expect a mix of: - Narrow raised paths and farm tracks (the “tiendweg” itself is often a slightly elevated embankment path through wet meadows) - Dike-top walking and quiet polder roads - Hard surfaces (asphalt, brick, compacted gravel) that can feel repetitive over 42 km / 26 mi—cushioned footwear and blister management matter more than traction.

Because the landscape is engineered for water management, you’ll constantly cross ditches, sluices, small bridges, and pumping infrastructure. The walking is straightforward, but it’s easy to drift off-route at farm junctions where multiple straight lanes look identical—load the track in HiiKER and keep an eye on your next turn rather than relying on “it must be that straight line.”

Tiendweg character, landscape, and why it’s historically distinctive

“Tiendwegen” are historically significant in this region: they’re old routes laid along peat embankments through reclaimed land, often lined with pollarded willows and running arrow-straight between fields and drainage lines. In the Alblasserwaard, these paths are a defining feature of the cultural landscape, and some sources note there are many historic tiendwegen across the Netherlands, with notable long examples running behind the Lekdijk toward Groot-Ammers. (waardkenner.nl)

You’ll see the classic knotwilgen (pollarded willows) that shape the “coulisse” feel—rows of trees acting like hedgerows in an otherwise open polder. (wandelenindepolder.nl)
These willows aren’t just scenic: they’re part of a long tradition of managing wood supply and stabilizing wet ground, and they create sheltered corridors that can briefly cut the wind—valuable on a long, flat day.

Nature and wildlife to look out for (and when)

This is prime meadow-bird country. In spring especially, scan fence posts and wet fields for: - Black-tailed godwit (grutto), lapwing (kievit), redshank (tureluur)—species strongly associated with Dutch wet grasslands (archief.blauwzaam.nl)
In winter, large groups of geese are common in the wider area, and some nature-route material for nearby polder reserves mentions the possibility of encountering rarer goose species among flocks.