Middelharnis, Haringvliet and Nieuw Schuddebeurs Loop

This is a long, ruler-flat coastal-and-polder loop on Goeree-Overflakkee (South Holland) that strings together harbor towns, sea dikes, wide estuary views over the Haringvliet, and quiet agricultural lanes. At ~96 km / ~60 mi with roughly ~0 m / ~0 ft of climbing, the challenge isn’t elevation—it’s distance, wind exposure, and the cumulative impact of hard surfaces (dike-top asphalt, brick, and farm roads).

A practical “hike head” to plan around is Havenhoofd 3, 3241 LD Middelharnis (harborfront area in Middelharnis). (fietsknoop.nl)

Getting to the start (Middelharnis harbor area)

• By car: Aim for the Middelharnis harbor / Havenhoofd area (near Havenhoofd 3, 3241 LD). Street parking and nearby lots are typical around Dutch harborfronts, but availability varies with market days and events. (fietsknoop.nl)
  
• By public transport: Middelharnis is well connected by regional buses within Goeree-Overflakkee and onward to Rotterdam-area hubs; plan the final approach to the harborfront (Havenhoofd) and expect a short walk from the nearest bus stop into the old harbor area.

Plan this as either: - a 2-day hike (about 48 km / 30 mi per day), or
- a 3-day hike (about 32 km / 20 mi per day), which is far more comfortable if you want time for birdwatching stops and café breaks.

From the harborfront, you’ll quickly leave town edges and settle into the defining rhythm of the island: long straight lines, big skies, and water always nearby—either in canals, drainage ditches, or the broad Haringvliet itself.

What the terrain feels like underfoot

Expect mostly firm, fast surfaces: dike-top paths, paved cycleways, and compacted farm tracks. After rain, the unpaved edges can turn slick, but you’re rarely dealing with mud the way you would on forest trails. Because the route is essentially flat (around 0 m / 0 ft gain overall), your pacing is limited more by wind than by hills—headwinds off the water can feel like a steady, invisible incline for hours.

Use HiiKER to keep your line clean through the patchwork of dikes, farm access roads, and small settlement connectors—this landscape has many parallel options that look “right” but can add distance or dead-end at private farm infrastructure.

Route character and notable places (by approximate segments)

0–15 km / 0–9 mi: Middelharnis and the old harbor edge
Starting near Havenhoofd, you’re in a town shaped by water management and trade. Middelharnis developed after dike building around the Oudeland polder in the 1400s, and it grew into a regional center with a fish auction by the late 1500s—history that still makes sense when you see how the town sits on the water and how the streets relate to the harbor. (en.wikipedia.org)
If you detour slightly through the older core, Middelharnis is known for protected townscape areas and historic civic buildings and church architecture (worth a short look before the long miles begin). (routeyou.com)

15–45 km / 9–28 mi: Dikes, polders, and long estuary views
This is the “engine room” of the loop: steady forward progress along water defenses and agricultural land. You’ll pass drainage channels, reed fringes, and open fields where birdlife is often the main moving element in the scene. In spring and autumn migration periods, expect frequent sightings of geese, ducks, and waders using the wet margins and shallow edges.

Wind management matters here: - If the forecast is strong, consider starting into the wind early while you’re fresh, so the