Zoetermeerse Plas and Vogelplas Starrevaart via Korte Kerkpad and Barrepad

You’re looking at a long, almost perfectly flat Green-Heart-style circuit of roughly 39 km / 24.2 mi with essentially 0 m / 0 ft of climbing—so the challenge isn’t elevation, it’s time on feet, wind exposure, and surface variety (asphalt cycleways, compacted dike tops, farm tracks, and occasional softer verge paths). Expect a full-day outing for most hikers.

Because your start is listed only as “near…”, the most practical “hike head” for this route is to anchor it to the best-known access point on the Zoetermeer side: Recreatiegebied Noord Aa / Zoetermeerse Plas (near the Noord Aa recreation area, Zoetermeer), where there are multiple parking areas and clear paths around the water. On the Starrevaart side, the most useful landmark to navigate toward is Vogelplas Starrevaart (near Kniplaan, Leidschendam), which is also a common access point for walkers and birders. (If you share the route’s lon/lat points, I can pin the start to the nearest exact address/landmark more precisely.)

Getting to the start (public transport + car)

By public transport (Zoetermeer side): - Zoetermeer is well connected by NS rail (Zoetermeer/Den Haag region) and RandstadRail. From a Zoetermeer station, you typically finish the last stretch by local bus or a short taxi/ride-share to the Noord Aa / Zoetermeerse Plas recreation area.

By car: - Aim for parking around Recreatiegebied Noord Aa (Zoetermeerse Plas), Zoetermeer. This area is designed for day visitors, so access is straightforward and paths are obvious once you’re at the water.

Use HiiKER to load the full line and keep it handy—this landscape is crisscrossed with dikes, canals, and parallel farm roads that can look deceptively similar when you’re tired or visibility drops.

What the walk feels like, section by section

0–8 km (0–5 mi): Zoetermeerse Plas / Noord Aa—big skies, open water, and easy pacing
You’ll settle into a steady rhythm on wide, well-made paths around the Zoetermeerse Plas. This is classic Dutch recreation-water scenery: open shoreline, reed edges, and long sightlines. Even on calm days, you can feel how exposed the route is—if there’s wind, it will be a constant companion and can add real fatigue over 39 km / 24.2 mi.

Wildlife here is typically waterfowl-heavy: ducks, geese, coots, and gulls, with reedbed birds where the margins are less manicured. Early morning and late afternoon tend to be livelier for bird activity.

8–18 km (5–11.2 mi): Dikes, drainage canals, and the “polder grid” via Korte Kerkpad—quiet farmland corridors
Leaving the immediate lakeside, the route leans into the veenweide/polder character of South Holland: straight drainage lines, low fields, and narrow connectors like Korte Kerkpad (a small rural lane/track name you’ll see in this region). The walking is still easy, but surfaces can alternate between smooth pavement and rougher farm access tracks.

Things to look out for: - Wind chill and sun exposure: there’s often little shade. In summer, sun protection matters; in cooler months, windproof layers matter. - Narrow dike tops and shared paths: many stretches double as cycle routes. Stay alert for fast bikes, especially near towns. - Soft verges after rain: the “tempting” grassy edge can be boggy; stick to the firm line to avoid ankle rolls.

This is also where navigation can get fiddly: multiple parallel tracks can run alongside the same canal. Keep checking HiiKER at junctions so you don’t drift onto the wrong parallel road.

Vogelplas Starrevaart: the standout nature landmark

~18–26 km (11.2–16.2 mi): Approaching and skirting Vogelplas Starrevaart—prime bird habitat
As you near Vogelplas Starrevaart (Leidschendam area, near Kniplaan), the landscape shifts from general farmland to a more intentionally managed wetland feel. Starrevaart is known as a bird-rich area with a mix of deep and shallow water, reedbeds, and mudflat-like edges that support feeding and resting birds through the year. (lvverrast.nl)

Birdlife can be excellent here; species commonly associated with the area include a range of ducks and wetland birds, and it’s popular with birdwatchers because the habitat is designed to suit different feeding and nesting needs. (lvverrast.nl)
If you pass near viewing points (such as hides/towers in the area), it’s worth a short pause—just keep voices low and avoid sudden movements near the waterline.

Historical/landscape context: Star