Maasland: Local History and Water Activities

Maasland combines a protected historic village centre with cultural and historical attractions and opportunities to enjoy the water and nature. When planning your visit, you can decide whether to focus on local history, architectural history, or outdoor activities. From Maasland, you can walk directly into the Maaslandse Bos. You can take a rowing boat or canoe out on the Foppenplas; the area also has walking, cycling, and inline skating routes.

Village Character and Architectural History

The historic centre of Maasland has protected status. Museum De Schilpen adds to the cultural and historical attractions with a building that has a long history of use: the museum is housed in a former grocery shop that operated there for more than 150 years. The permanent exhibition includes a living room and a kitchen in the style of around 1900. This brings together the building’s former use and displays of domestic interiors. Depending on your interests, you can focus on the history of a shop or on an exhibition featuring living spaces from a particular period.

The Maria Magdalenakerk offers another way to explore architectural history. The present church was first used on 11 July 1887. It was designed by E. Margry, a pupil of P.J.H. Cuypers; the design followed the plan of the Roman Catholic church in Sappemeer and is Neo-Gothic. The date, architect, model, and style each provide a different point of reference. The term Neo-Gothic identifies the architectural style, while the connection to the Sappemeer plan adds context to the design’s history. This makes the church different from Museum De Schilpen: here, the focus is on a church building and its architectural influences, while the museum focuses on a former shop and an exhibition of domestic interiors from around 1900.

Two mills north of the village differ in shape, type, and year of construction. The Dijkmolen is an octagonal polder windmill dating from 1718; De Drie Lelies is a round stone grain mill dating from 1767. The 49-year gap adds a chronological dimension to the comparison of their forms. If you are interested in historic buildings, you can distinguish between the two mills by their different types and shapes.

Nature and Water Activities

For an active day outdoors, you can choose between land- and water-based activities. From Maasland, you can walk directly into the Maaslandse Bos. You can take a rowing boat or canoe out on the Foppenplas; the Foppenplas area also has walking, cycling, and inline skating routes. There are several ways to get active: walking in the forest, following routes on foot, by bike, or on inline skates, and going out on the water. When planning your day, you can choose between land-based activities and a trip on the Foppenplas.

If you prefer an electric sloep to a rowing boat or canoe, you can rent one from Warbout Rondvaarten. The sloepen can be operated without a boating licence, and trips on the Foppenplas and the Vlietlanden are possible. The type of boat and the destinations available set this option apart from a trip by rowing boat or canoe. If you plan to take a sloep, check current availability with Warbout Rondvaarten before your trip.

The ferry season is another factor to consider when planning your route. Outside the ferry season, you can walk back along the Noordvliet; the route is about 6 km long. If your plans depend on the ferry, check the current service before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Den Hoorn, Schipluiden.

Return to the overview of the wider area: Midden-Delfland.