top of page
Search

Guided walk – Discover Marquette Castle | Sunday, March 15, August 16 and October 18, 2026

  • myrthe541
  • Jan 24
  • 2 min read

What do you actually see when you stroll through the gardens of Marquette Castle?

More than you think. Beneath the grass and along the paths lies a landscape once shaped by the ebb and flow of the tides – and which still bears the traces of that time.

On Sundays, March 15, August 16, and October 18, 2026, the Oer-IJ Foundation is organizing the "Ommetje Marquette" hike. This hike, which is a maximum of 2.5 kilometers long, will take you through the unique Oer-IJ landscape around Marquette in one and a half to two hours.


A landscape that doesn't reveal itself immediately.

Until around the beginning of our era, a branch of the Rhine flowed into the sea here. Through this estuary, the influence of the tides was felt far inland. This water shaped the land, left its mark, and determined where people settled.

Marquette sits atop a raised riverbank, formed in the heart of this former tidal area. During the walk, the guide will show you how you can still see this history today – in the subtle changes in elevation, in the soil, and even in plants that only grow here because the landscape was once saltwater.


Look quietly, walk quietly

This short walk is neither a long hike nor a quick tour. It's a leisurely stroll where you have time to look and listen. You'll discover that the landscape surrounding the castle has at least as much to tell as the castle itself.


Practical information

  • Dates: Sunday, March 15, August 16 and October 18, 2026

  • Start time: 10:30 am

  • Starting point: at the end of the car park to the right of the entrance gate of Marquette Castle

  • Distance: maximum 2.5 km

  • Duration: approx. 1.5 to 2 hours

  • Cost: €5 per person

  • Maximum 15 participants

  • The tour guide can be identified by his green Oer-IJ clothing.


If Château Marquette is open, the walk ends at the port of Marquette.


You can register by sending an email to info@oerij.eu and stating the following:

  • Marquette Walk

  • Preferred date

  • number of people

  • Telephone number


Five facts about Marquette Castle

  1. Marquette's location is no accident. The castle sits atop a natural rise formed by the old IJ river. A dry and logical spot in an otherwise wet landscape.

  2. You are crossing a former tidal area. This was once a dynamic place where salt and fresh water alternated. Evidence of this is still clearly visible in the natural landscape today.

  3. Marquette was primarily a residential area. The castle was built as a noble residence, not as a defensive fortress.

  4. Water played a more significant role here than one might think. The name "harbor" points to a time when waterways were of great importance for connections and transport.

  5. The garden tells just as many stories as the building itself. On closer inspection, one discovers that the landscape surrounding the castle holds the most stories.


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

bottom of page