Natural Splendour of the Veluwe

Gelderland's Veluwe is one of the Netherlands' leading tourist destinations, offering a rare kind of quiet cycling through Northwest Europe's largest unbroken nature reserve. It's a green oasis in a densely populated country, home to red deer, roe deer and wild boar across unspoiled forests, heathland and drifting sand dunes.

Riders are based at Hotel Stakenberg, an estate hotel set in nature in the heathland village of Elspeet, surrounded by the Elspeterveld and Elspeetse heide. The signature ride, to Paleis Het Loo in Apeldoorn, crosses the Veluwe through the Royal Het Loo forests and past small heath villages including Wiesel, Niersen and Gortel.

Other routes take in the Hulshorsterzand and Beekhuizerzand drifting sands, crystal-clear spring streams such as the Leuvenumse and Hierdense Beek, and the historic Zuiderzee towns of Harderwijk and Elburg on the Veluwemeer coast, plus Radio Kootwijk and typical Veluwe villages such as Vierhouten and Speuld.

Highlights:

• Ride through the Royal Het Loo forests to Paleis Het Loo in Apeldoorn
• Explore the Hulshorsterzand and Beekhuizerzand drifting sand landscapes
• Follow crystal-clear spring streams including the Leuvenumse and Hierdense Beek
• Visit the historic Zuiderzee towns of Harderwijk and Elburg
• See Radio Kootwijk and the nearby Hoog Buurlo sheepfold
• Stop at cafes in traditional Veluwe villages such as Vierhouten and Speuld

Surface and terrain:
Rated Level 1 (easiest). Forest, heath and sandy nature-reserve terrain implied by the routes described.

Suitable for:
Recreational cyclists (and walkers, as this can also be booked as a walking holiday) wanting a nature-focused base-stay.