At the end of each month, Cycling Destination plans a fun event. social ride. You can ride with us; everyone is welcome. Every month we choose a different location and you can choose between a gravel or a racerite. This month (this was the postponed February edition), we planned a ride in collaboration with Bike Bear Adventure in Veenendaal. We explored the area and there was a warm welcome both before and after. A cycling route around Veenendaal with two climbs and a crossing. We thought it was cool, when are you going?
Text: Sander Kolsloot, photos: Stijn Kanters // Sander Kolsloot
Warm welcome in Veenendaal
When we drive the car to the BikeBear Adventure parking lot in Veenendaal, we lose our orientation for a moment. Among all the noise from the surrounding car dealerships, this bike shop is a unique find. Fortunately, the orange logos on the door are a nice indicator that we’re in the right place. The door swings open and Nico greets us warmly. We quickly position the bike rack so that everyone can store their bike. Mike, the son of Nico, also shows up. ‘Coffee?’ asks Nico, ‘or do you want something else?’ This feels like coming home. A nice place, with bikes, but also a big Land Rover and even a kayak. The addition ‘adventure’ in the company name is in place.
Through the Betuwe and over the Heuvelrug
Veenendaal It is well known to many from the classic Veenendaal-Veenendaal race, which nowadays is known as the Arnhem-Veenendaal Classic. Outside of that, it is not the type of cycling destination where everyone clears their calendars. Yet I must make a point of supporting this municipality of 68,000 inhabitants. Because in terms of location, it is an ideal place to cycle. You are close to the Utrecht Hills, where the Amerang Berg almost screams out to be climbed. In addition, you can easily cross the Rhine near Rhenen and you are in the Betuwe. A trip to Posbank is also a nice route. And I haven’t even mentioned the hiking trails nearby. So Veenendaal definitely deserves to be a cycling destination, right on the edge of Utrecht and Gelderland.
Departure
Finally, with a nice group, we turn onto the road. The first kilometer we have to make our way through Veenendaal, where the bike paths are sometimes very wide, but at times it also seems as if someone has laid the paths with reading glasses. So be careful with a very large group. Once we have left the built-up area, the surroundings seem to open up. A beautiful landscape with a combination of nature trails, country roads, and good bike paths. I am quite familiar with the area, but I hadn’t noticed it quite this well. Along the water near Rhenen, after we’ve done the first climb, we follow a stretch of the water, to cross the large bridge there.
Betuwe: The Land of Flipje
We haven’t yet crossed the bridge; we are reminded that we are in the land of ‘Flipje‘On a visit. The Betuwe is known for its fruit orchards and typical villages like Lienden, Kesteren and Maurik. As we walk through the orchards and along the streets of the villages, we see many beautiful churches and historical buildings. Several times we hear ‘oh, that’s a beautiful place’. The wind blows in from the side and sometimes from behind, which means that we also get the wind from the front on this route. When we turn back towards Rijswijk, it blows a little harder in our faces. We take the ferry, make friends with the local people and enjoy the view of Wijk bij Duurstede for a while.
The dike never disappoints
When we leave the bridge and wave to our new friends, we turn onto the Rijndijk. The wind blows in our faces and we quickly leave Wijk bij Duurstede to the left. In the summer, a stop at the Molen with an ice cream is not a bad idea. Now we drive on, with the water on our right and in the distance the village of Amerongen with the local ‘berg’. I always find the water beautiful, and this time there is not much traffic on the water, but it still remains impressive. When we reach Amerongen, we cross the village, up the ‘Alto de Amerongse Berg’ as it was called during the Vuelta 2022. It remains a lovely climb. If you want to make a stop, you can first get a good cup of coffee with something tasty at The Proloog, the wheel café in the region.
Back home
After the climb at Amerongen, the descent is quick and after the railway crossing we turn towards the valley canal. This canal leads all the way back towards Amersfoort, another beautiful route. We drive back towards Veenendaal, passing the church communities of Scherpenzeel and Renswoude. After about 64 kilometers, we head back to the parking lot. We are again warmly welcomed by Nico and Mike, and the nice surprise of fries and a snack makes us very happy.
Cycling route around Veenendaal
Would you like to take a nice bike ride around Veenendaal as well? Then take a look at our route below. If you want to try something different, Mike and Nico from BikeBear can definitely help you get started.
Questions & tips
Do you have any questions about this route, or have you been there yourself? Share them here. We read everything and usually respond within a few days.