Akersloot Guided Walk | Sunday, May 3, June 7, July 5, August 2 and September 6, 2026

How did the landscape of Akersloot actually come about? And what remains of it today?

These questions are the focus of the "Ommetje Akersloot," a short but surprisingly informative walk around the Gemaal 1879 pumping station on Fielkerweg in Akersloot. Led by Oer-IJ guides Judith Hollenberg and Hein Dil, you will discover not only the history of water and land, but also how people have interacted with the landscape for centuries.

What to expect on your journey

The walk isn't long, but every step tells a story about this place. From the moment you leave Gemaal in 1879, the guides will take you on a journey through the history of:

• the transition from peat and beach plains to dry polder land

• how crucial water management has been here over the centuries

• the useful work of mills and pumping stations in the drainage of land

• Traces of watercourses that once existed and can still be seen in the relief of the landscape today.

You will also learn to observe your surroundings closely: a ditch that was once a watercourse, a depression that once formed a riverbank, a piece of land shaped by water. The path leads not only past the pumping station, but also around it – because that's where the landscape tells its story most clearly.

According to many participants, this walk changes one's perspective. What once looked like "just a meadow" transforms into a landscape full of layers and lines that bear witness to centuries of interaction between humans and water.

Walking data 2026

• The walks take place on Sunday afternoons and always start at 1 p.m. The dates are:

• Sunday, May 3, 2026

• Sunday, June 7, 2026

• Sunday, July 5, 2026

• Sunday, August 2, 2026

• Sunday, September 6, 2026

Practical information

• Start: 1:00 PM

• Duration: ± 1.5 hours

• Starting point: Pumping station 1879, Fielkerweg 4, Akersloot

• Cost: €5 per person

• Minimum number of participants: 5

• Maximum: 15 people

• To register and for current information, please visit the Oer-IJ Foundation's event page: https://www.oerij.eu/bewoners-en-bezoekers/ontdek-het-gebied/op-pad-met-een-gids/ommetje-akersloot/

Five fun facts about Ommetje Akersloot and Gemaal 1879

1. The pumping station bears the same name as the year it was built.

   The pumping station was built in 1879 as a steam pumping station to keep the surrounding polders dry – at a time when windmills alone could no longer manage this task.

2. This pumping station is technically interesting and rare.

   The original wooden mortar was replaced early on by an iron mortar, and the building still retains much of its original structure and use of materials – precisely because it was later electrically powered.

3. You can't just walk around an old building.

   A short walk around the pumping station reveals traces of beach ridge, beach plain and peat polder – layers that tell the story of how water and land have alternated here over the centuries.

4. The pumping station is more than just a machine house

   The former boiler room and other interior spaces are used for exhibitions about landscape, history and art – there is something to see even off the beaten track.

5. One views the landscape as if one were walking through time.

   What looks like a small circular route of one kilometer turns out to be full of unexpected stories about water management, windmills and the way people here have learned to deal with water.

This event is part of the Uitgeest events calendar. You can find the full events calendar at https://www.boutiquestay.nl/uitagenda