Forty-five meters deep. That’s how deep the Spiegel-en Blijkpolderplas is in places. Can you imagine?
The Spiegel-en Blijkpolderplas isn’t your average lake. It’s a vast expanse of water east of Nederhorst den Berg. It’s part of a larger area once a peat bog. Then came the sand extraction. For years the Amsterdamsche Ballast Maatschappij (ABM) dug deep. They removed millions of cubic meters of sand. This created the deep parts of the lake that are so popular with divers today. The incredibly clear water is a huge draw. It’s one of the clearest in the Netherlands. Three-cornered mussels help keep it that way. They filter algae.
The Spiegel-en Blijkpolderplas isn’t just deep. It’s also historically significant. In 1934 the ABM got permission to extract sand. They used a massive sand dredge. At first sand was transported by a conveyor belt to the Vecht River. Later they used barges. The sand extraction continued for decades. It even expanded into the Blijkpolder in 1969. There was local opposition to the expansion. Over 1200 people signed a petition but it was unsuccessful. Sand extraction finally ended in 1980.
The Zanderijsluis is vital to the Spiegel-en Blijkpolderplas. It’s the only way for boats to enter from the Vecht River. It had a troubled history. After the province of North Holland bought the lake in 1987. They almost closed the sluice. This would have devastated the local economy. Fortunately it was renovated in 1998. A fish pass was added to help with fish migration. The new sluice is smaller than the old one. But it remains essential to the lake.
Today the Spiegel-en Blijkpolderplas is a haven for recreation. There are beaches. There are islands. There are even moorings for boats. You can swim walk bike and even ride horses around its shores. Thousands of birds winter there. Many species of fish live in its depths. It’s a testament to human impact. But also a testament to nature’s ability to regenerate. A beautiful deep and surprisingly diverse place. The Spiegel-en Blijkpolderplas awaits you.