Gravel in the Achterhoek, who wouldn't want that? A few years We already discovered this region a long time ago And then we were enthusiastic about the long white roads, the space and the tranquility. On several occasions we have returned to drive a single route, or to enjoy the surroundings for a weekend. In fact, every time it was good. The Achterhoek is a haven for gravel enthusiasts in the Netherlands. Perhaps they would like to keep that in the Achterhoek, but there is still plenty of space. This time we were invited by Landal. Not just any Landal park, but the brand-new The Weelderik This is our destination. With a luxury wellness villa featuring a private swimming pool, sauna, and all kinds of sustainability features. So, luxury in Gravelen in the Achterhoek! Or is that what it is? What do you think?
Achterhoek gravel wall hall
Well, to start with: it’s delicious. Especially on those hot summer days, a private plunge pool is a luxury you’d like to have. Now that I’m not a luxury-loving cat by nature, I can do without it just fine, but if you have it anyway. Whoo, that’s nice. But to write a whole story about cycling without mentioning the routes around The Weelderik Having that, that's also something I find a bit strange.
Because the location in Hengelo, the village in Gelderland, not the city in Enschede, makes you literally in the middle of the Achterhoek. You can head to Montferland for a nice day trip, you can take a closer look at the castles around Vorden and Ruurlo, and you have beautiful nature and agricultural roads at your disposal. In fact, the nearest gravel track is literally right outside the door. You turn left out of the park and 50 meters further you are already gone!
Direction east
On my first gravel route, I go for it right away. With almost 100km, of which almost 60 kilometers are unpaved/gravel/pavement, it’s definitely one to get through in one go. It’s a variation on a route that you can find on site of Outdoor Achterhoek. There are many gems here, including a nice bikepacking adventure in the Netherlands. This route therefore goes via Ruurlo towards Ruurlo, Beltrum, Neede, Geesteren and finally back to Landal De Weelderik via Borculo. You start right away with a beautiful stretch through the forest near t Zelle. The long forest and gravel paths are something we don’t see in other parts of the Netherlands. They remind us of the long gravel paths in central or southern Germany. Pure enjoyment, therefore.
Starting from Ruurlo, you turn around and cycle around the small villages. You also take part of the Slinge MTB route, just outside Ruurlo. Furthermore, you encounter many narrow paths, also called church paths, which are alternated with a stretch of asphalt to then cycle through the yellow rapeseed fields. You encounter few other gravel cyclists, occasionally some lost locals or an elderly couple on an e-bike. The church paths almost all have a name, so they are narrow and therefore rightly a route to enjoy. This is not a gravel race course. You also pass through the municipality of Berkelland, named after the river Berkel that you pass several times.
Neighbourhoods
Towards the end of the route you will find the hamlet of Linde, just south of Vorden. Here you will find a number of beautiful gravel paths, where you only have to take into account a tractor or a resident who is willing to help. When I drive along the route, the weather is lovely in spring; the road is not yet extremely dusty, so you can fully enjoy it. Upon returning home, a drink and a nice shower await. A visit to the sauna afterwards does wonders. #Enjoy.
To the North
That the Achterhoek versatile That’s what I’ve said a few times already. It’s also a large area, where you could easily get lost for a few days. I don’t want to call a bikepacking route ‘The Hinterhoek Divide’ yet, but there are certainly opportunities for that. If you have a fixed base camp, like we do at Landal De Weelderik, you can easily head out to the various wind directions. For our second route, we headed north. That means in our case, taking a little detour to Kranenburg and then towards the Twenthekanaal, which forms a kind of natural barrier. Above that, you quickly reach the city, although around Harfsen and Laren, you can still find beautiful routes. But the Sluis near Almen is often a beautiful spot. We won’t be doing that this time. We’re now heading for the forests of Velhorst and then on to Almen. A wonderful route through greenery and forest, with another introduction to the Berkel. From there, you can return via the Lage Lochemsweg back towards Vorden, where you’ll also encounter the forests and the hamlet of Linde. Beautiful. And with 55km, perfect for two hours of fun. After that, you can relax with friends or with your family at the swimming pool or do something else.
To the South
Zelhem has little appeal. At least, in my opinion. An old colleague of mine lives there and will certainly judge differently. It’s in the eye of the beholder. But when it comes to cycling, there’s plenty of beautiful gravel around Zelhem. I’ve been helped there once after a minor crash. That was, by the way, after I had driven brilliantly. Then Hengelo was also the base of operations. Now I have mapped out a route, this time almost 75km long, so between three and four hours of gravel fun. Highlights? Enough to write home about, but the photos speak for themselves.
Other options
I have completed a total of five rides and I have put them in a collection in varying lengths and directions. Basically, they are all great, because you start from scratch with gravel and every route has at least 40-50% unpaved sections, which is a luxury for many people from the outskirts of Amsterdam.
Landal De Weelderik: a luxurious oasis in the Achterhoek
The park The Weelderik of Landal It is very new. The lodges are all of a top standard, with a lovely spacious bathroom and ensuite in the bedroom. We were in a 2-6 person lodge, where two bunk beds were fitted for the children. The four-person lodges are ideal if you are with four friends, or with two couples, or with teenagers.
The finish is luxurious; there is a home management system, a kind of iPad that allows you to control all the functions in the house. Nice details: a wine cooler filled with wines that you can buy for a reasonable price. A bit more expensive than the Gall & Gall, but they are already chilled and you don’t have to choose them.
Even when you’re at the park, there’s a self-service store. Handy for the Nespresso Cups, which you (yet) can’t buy in the store. They also have games and paddle rackets for the free padel court and other items. Everything is accessible with your own code. The bike rental and the bike storage are also accessible, although I did park my fancy gravel bike in the house for a moment. A shed would have been nice, but who cares, that guy over there is looking at it.
The pool and the sauna are definitely the highlights. The pool is perfectly warm, perfect for the summer, and in the spring it can be just right. The sauna is stylish and well-equipped, and the bathrobes are perfect for use.
The park is located on the outskirts; there is some play equipment for children, so there are padel courts. The village of Hengelo is 2 km away; there you will find all the amenities. From here you can easily go to Vorden or Ruurlo for castles, a bite to eat/drink or something else to do. Doetinchem is also not far away, as is the Hanseatic city Zutphen.
Tips & tricks
- You eat pancakes at de Heikamp in Ruurlo. A wonderful spot for your family too. There is a Kabouterpad and it is located on the MTB route. So delicious in many ways.
- If you go south then it is The Wapen of Heeckeren A wonderful place for lunch or a drink.
- You can get ice cream in Hengelo at Langeler
- A chic Italian? Trattoria Municipio in Hengelo there is an unexpected highlight
- Are you looking for more routes? You can find more on the website of Outdoor Achterhoek.
If you would like to discover the hinterland from a different location, please also take a look at our previous visit to the region from Landal Stroombroek: Gravel routes in the Achterhoek: A weekend full of adventure from Landal GreenParks Stroombroek
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What do you think of the Achterhoek as a gravel venue?