Leaning Tower of Acquoy – Fort Asperen loop from Asperen

Hiking trails & Routes

Netherlands

Gelderland

Lingewaal

Leaning Tower of Acquoy – Fort Asperen loop from Asperen

Moderate

4.7

(17)

hikers

Leaning Tower of Acquoy – Fort Asperen loop from Asperen

04:36

18.3km

20m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily walkable paths. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: September 25, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Lingegebied & Diefdijk-Zuid

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

1.91 km

Leaning Tower of Acquoy

Highlight • Religious Site

If you look closely, you will see that Mrs. Pisa is buried in the cemetery. Would that make the church so skewed?

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1.96 km

Acquoy Church and Dike along the Linge

Highlight • Religious Site

Don't forget to grab a drink in the Tapperij. Really old-fashioned Dutch village pub including billiards.

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2.57 km

View of Acquoy's Leaning Tower and the Linge River

Highlight • Viewpoint

3.32 km

Boardwalk

Highlight • Bridge

Klompenpad runs kangs here

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3.73 km

Klompenpad Wooden Footbridge

Highlight • Bridge

15.3 km

Haaftensche Molenvliet

Lake

17.5 km

Fan sluices at Asperen (New Dutch Waterline)

Highlight • Monument

At Asperen there is a special lock complex in the river Linge that was of crucial importance for the New Dutch Waterline. In the event of a threat of war, the two inlet or 'inundation locks' in the two Linge dikes could carry the water supplied via that river to the surrounding polder area and flood it (inundation). In that case, the two weir locks in the river were closed, so that the water was pushed up high to the east of the Diefdijk Line. The closure was done with so-called bulkhead beams, which formed a sheet pile wall on top of each other. Next to these locks are still the old storage places for these beams.
The double inundation locks or fan locks, the doors of which together form a kind of fan, are special because they can even turn against high water and can also be closed in running water. Yet only one man is needed to operate the huge colossus. When the locks are closed for a long period of time, a double row of stacked bulkhead beams in each lock acts as a sheet pile wall.
In times of peace, the usually closed and now beautifully restored fan sluices came and do come in handy in the opposite sense: in the event of flooding, the bulkhead beams come out and drain excess water to the Linge.

The weir locks are located just southeast of Asperen at the spot where the Meerdijk changes into the Nieuwe Zuiderlingedijk. These dikes are part of the Diefdijk Line that marks the border between South Holland and Gelderland. The polders to the east of this 23-kilometre long line would disappear under water in the event of a threat of war in order to stop the enemy. Where the Linge intersected the line, a dam was constructed in the river, with first one and later two weir locks. These had to close the opening in the line in case of emergency.
The inundation sluices are located a little further south on both sides of the river, in the Zuider- and Noorderlingedijk. Two forts were built to protect these important military waterworks: Fort Asperen near the eastern one and the Wapenplaats near the western lock.
In the vicinity there are several concrete group shelters from different periods, along the Meerdijk there are battery shelters from 1905. There are also remains of a single machine gun casemate, intended for extra defense of the lock complex.

The two fan locks were built in 1815, at the start of the first construction period of the New Dutch Waterline. The innovative design was by hydraulic engineer Jan Blanken. In the same year, three more examples were constructed within the New Dutch Waterline, at Werk aan het Spoel, Werk aan de Bakkerskil and Vesting Woudrichem.
Improvements were made to the locks in 1882. In any case, repair was regularly necessary, because of the destructive effect of the water on the originally wooden lock gates.
Flooding large areas of land could take up to four or five weeks. With the rapidly advancing weapon technology, that would not suffice for long. That is why later in the nineteenth century inundation canals were dug here and there. One of them ran from Tiel to Wadenoijen. This canal accelerated the flow of water from the Waal via the Linge and the sluices at Asperen to the polders east of the Diefdijk Line.
In April 1940, when the Germans attacked Denmark and Norway, the locks at Fort Asperen were opened. However, the water line turned out to be obsolete due to the use of aircraft and paratroopers. At the end of the war, it was the Germans who opened the lock again in the hope of a safe retreat.

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17.9 km

Lock complex at Fort near Asperen

Highlight • Monument

This lock complex ensures that the fort and the moat are supplied with water.

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18.0 km

Fort Asperen

Highlight • Historical Site

Fort bij Asperen is a military heritage and part of the New Dutch Waterline, which is on the nomination list for UNESCO World Heritage. It is located in a beautiful part of the Gelderland line landscape, where you can cycle and walk. The exploitation is in the hands of the Leerwerkbedrijf Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie foundation, which organizes cultural activities and exhibitions there. The dome is a work of art in itself. The light and air shaft in the fort consists of green-blue glass slates (tiles), which were blown in glass city Leerdam. This includes drawings made by children from the area. The dome keeps rainwater out, but there is still room for the bats to fly in; the fort is an important wintering place.

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18.3 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

10.9 km

3.96 km

2.42 km

990 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

10.8 km

4.54 km

1.63 km

1.33 km

Elevation

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Weather

Tuesday 3 November

11°C

4°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Expect light wind and shifting conditions.

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Comments

April 14, 2022,Rond langs de Linge, van Asperen naar Beesd en terug

Today a round along the Linge, we start in Asperen to first walk towards Gelicum.

You will soon notice that this is part of the Dutch waterline, older defenses everywhere. Bunkers and fortresses.

Via the dike we walk towards Beesd where we cross the Linge to walk back on the other side.

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