Keihoogte Inlagen
About this location
Along the Oosterscheldeboulevard of Noord-Beveland, between the Oosterscheldekering and the Zeelandbrug, lie numerous inlagen. But what exactly is an inlaag?
An inlaag is the area between an old sea dike and a new reserve or relief dike, built further inland. It was constructed as extra protection against dike breaches. If the old dike were to fail, the inlaag could flood in a controlled way, while the new dike protected the land behind it.
Clay for building these dikes was extracted from the area in between. The long, drawn-out excavations and traces of transport by cart are still visible today and are known as 'karrevelden' (cart fields).
Nowadays, inlagen are valuable salty nature areas with room for special plants and birds. At the inlagen of Keihoogte near Wissenkerke you can admire birds all year round, such as oystercatchers, avocets, redshanks, curlews, knots, bar-tailed godwits and spotted redshanks. Peregrine falcons, kestrels, lapwings and meadow pipits are also regularly spotted.
A beautiful example of how historical coastal defence has grown into valuable nature.