The Lek maps Wijk bij Duurstede the continuation of the Neder-Rijn and unites at Kinderdijk with the North: as Nieuwe Maas the river continues in a westerly direction. The length of the Lek is 62 km.
background
Around the year 0 the Lek became a more active river as a tributary of the Rhine in the discharge of the Rhine water. The Lek became the main stream of the Rhine in 1122 when the original course of the Rhine was dammed near Wijk bij Duurstede. The old course of the Rhine over, among others, the Kromme Rijn and the Oude Rijn has since lost its importance as a main waterway due to the reduced amount of water.
Today the Lek is predominantly a border river: on the one hand between Gelderland (Betuwe) and Utrecht, on the other hand between Utrecht and Zuid-Holland. From Schoonhoven it flows completely in the province of Zuid-Holland.
Cities
Big cities did not develop on the Lek. But there are a number of smaller, very pretty towns.
The two larger towns of Lekkerkerk and Krimpen aan de Lek are located at the mouth of the Lek. But they are not particularly worth seeing. The largest municipality on the Lek, however, is Nieuwegein, which was created in 1971 by merging the cities of Jutphaas and Vreeswijk. The modern center of Nieuwegein is not on the Lek, but the historical core of Vreeswijk.
Natural areas
In the last 15 years initiatives have been developed for the return of the characteristic river nature on the arms of the Rhine and the Meuse. This river landscape was originally dynamic. The flowing water washed sand and mud on or off, floods alternated with lower water levels and natural grazing by z. B. Red deer gave rise to a high level of diversity in the vegetation. In the last few centuries this dynamic has decreased significantly due to human intervention and so much nature has disappeared along the rivers. The nature development projects in the dyke foreland (ndl: uiterwaarden) therefore aim to give the natural processes as much space as possible.
The uiterwaarden the Lek, between Wijk bij Duurstede and Schoonhoven are part of the main ecological structure. One project, for example, is the Everdinger Waarden. Between Fort Everdingen and the dam near Hagestein, approx. 75 hectares of dyke foreland becomes a varied nature area with moats, swamps and pastures. The clay that is brought to the surface is used to improve the dikes.
From the dam at Hagestein, the Lek is a tidal river.
Connection with other waters
The Lek is among other things above the Amsterdam Rijn Canal and the Merwedekanaal in connection with other waterways. The Amsterdam Rijn Canal crosses the Lek shortly after Wijk bij Duurstede and the Merwedekanaal near Vianen. An older water connection is the Vlist, which connects from Schoonhoven to the Hollandse IJssel forms. By the way, this river is an old tributary of the Lek.
Ferries
- Wijk bij Duurstede - Rijswijk ) Car ferry motor ferry "Wijkse Veer") Tel: 0343-574384 (Gemeente Wijk bij Duurstede, K.J.Jager); Mobile: 06-20016174.
- Ferry times: All year round. Daily: Mon-Fri 6 a.m.-midnight; Sa 6.00-24.00 h; Sun 9.00-24.00 h.
- Wijk bij Duurstede - Beusichemn (Car ferry, motorized yaw ferry) Tel: 0345-501210 (Gemeente Buren, afd. Veerbedrijf, F.van Vliet); Mobile: 06-22412022.
- Ferry times: All year round. Daily: Mon-Sun 6.30 a.m.-10.30 p.m.
- Schalkwijk - Culemborg (Car ferry, motorized yaw ferry) Tel: 0345-512986 (A.D.W. Mason).
- Ferry times: All year round. Daily: Mon-Sat 6.30am-10.30pm; Sun 9.00 a.m.-10.30 p.m.
- Nieuwegein (Vreeswijk) - Vianen (Pedestrian / bicycle ferry motor ferry "Vrevia") Tel: 0900-2666399 (Connexxion customer service).
- Ferry times: All year round. Daily: 1.11.-31.3. Not so; not 25.12.-1.1. Mon-Fri 7.30am-6pm; sat 10 am-6pm.
- Lopik - Ameide (Pedestrian / bicycle ferry motor ferry "De overkant") Tel: 0183-602247 (Kees Stam).
- Ferry times: Good Friday to September and the 2nd Thursday in October. In April only on the weekends. May to September daily. Mon-Fri (May-Aug): 9 am-9pm; (Sept 2nd to Oct): 9:00 am-6:00pm; (29.8.-6.9.): Until 11 pm; Sat (May-Aug): 10 am-9pm; (Sept): 10: 00-18: 00 h; (29.8.-6.9.): Until 11 pm; Sun (May-Aug): 10 am-9pm; (Sept): 10 am-6pm; (29.8.-6.9.): Until 11 p.m.
- Schoonhoven - Gelkenes (Car ferry motor ferries "Schoonhoven II / Schoonhoven III") Tel: 0182-382387 (Veerdienst Schoonhoven b.v.) and 0182-383523.
- Ferry times: All year round. Daily: Mon-Sun 5:00 am-midnight; Fri on Sat and Sat on Sun on ferry service at night.
- Bergstoep - Streefkerk (Car ferry motor ferry "Esmeralda") Tel: 0182-351850 (Veerdienst Bergstoep).
- Ferry times: All year round. Daily: mo-dr 5-23 h; sat 7-23 h.
- Lekkerkerk - Nieuw Lekkerland (Pedestrian / bicycle ferry "Vice versa" motor ferry) Tel: 0180-663858 (E. Verwaal); Mobile: 06-53676277.
- Ferry times: All year round. Mondays to Saturdays and public holidays. Not Sunday! Mon-Fri 6.30-10.30 a.m., 11.45 a.m.-7.00 p.m.; Sa 8.15-10.30 a.m., 11.45 a.m.-7.00 p.m.; ft 9.00-10.30 a.m., 11.45 a.m.-7.00 p.m.
- Krimpen aan de Lek - Kinderdijk (Car ferry motor ferry "Christina") Tel: 0184-691127 (Veerbedrijf H.de Visser)
- Ferry times: All year round. Every day. Mon-Sat 6-24 h; so 7-24 h.
- Slikkerveer - (Krimpen aan de Lek -) Kinderdijk (Pedestrian / bicycle ferry motor ferry "Drechtsteden 2") Tel: 0900-2666399 (Connexxion customer service).
- Ferry times: All year round. April to September daily, October to March only Mon-Fri. Mon-Fri 6.30am-9.30am and 12.00pm-5.30pm; sat 10.00-17.00 (not about Krimpen); Sun 10.00-17.00 (not about Krimpen).
bridges
There aren't many bridges over the Lek. At Vianen, two motorway bridges (A 2 and A 27) cross the river. They have a separate footpath and cycle path and can therefore also be used by slow traffic. At Culemborg there is a railway bridge connecting Utrecht - Eindhoven.
