Brielle

2 May 2015:  Great weather today!  Blue skies; warm, but not too hot for comfortable hiking; occasional light breezes.  Our trail from Maasland to Brielle (13 km) picked its way through urban and industrial areas, criss-crossed by roads and major highways.  The many bicycle paths offer a secure route through these areas.  The GR5 also found a few parks and forest paths for us.  We also crossed several waterways: the first, the Nieuwe Waterweg, by ferry; the others on foot over major bridges.

We were pleased to arrive in Brielle in the mid-afternoon, leaving us time to have a drink in the central square and then take a walk around the old city.  We learned some of Brielle's history — notable in particular for the capture of the city by the "geuzen" on 1 April 1572 — an important event in the Dutch revolt against Spanish rule.  The city is quite animated today, a Saturday at the beginning of a 4-day weekend. 

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Canal walk approaching Maasluis:

Maassluis:

Maassluis:

A monument showing the height of water during the terrible storm in 1953, with numbers indicating the level (in cm) above a standard level in Amstersam:

The ferry from Maassluis to Rozenburg (pedestrian fare: 0.80 €):

A pleasant walk through the woods behind some houses, with a good GR marker painted on a tree:

 Looking ahead, we noticed that the drawbridge was up, and we wondered if it would be lowered when we arrived to walk across:

Going down!

Down!

The GR5 crosses this bridge:

Bicycle and footpath beside a highway leading to another bridge:

A conversation between Mary and a windmill...

Bicycle path along Brielse Meer:

Entry to Brielle:

Hotel De Zalm (on the right) in the center of town.  The American, British and Canadian flags are part of the Dutch commemoration of their liberation at the end of Worl War II.

Plaque on a building in Brielle commemorating the capture of the city by the "geuzen" on 1 April 1572.