When you think of great gravel routes, you immediately think of Brabant, Drenthe or the Achterhoek. But that’s not true at all; just a stone’s throw from the Randstad, we discovered a very varied gravel route. This 77-kilometer-long route takes you through the meadows of Hilversum, through the forests of the Utrecht's Heuvelrug And along the most beautiful villas. A gravel tour with a royal touch, because we won’t miss out on palace Soestdijk either. And what about a ride over the landing strip of Vliegbasis Soesterberg? Here you can really go graveling like a king (in)!
Text and photos: Nynke Cuperus
Beautiful starting point
We are spending the night at ‘Nature camping Fazantenhof’’, a campsite hidden in the forests between Lage Vuursche and Hollandsche Rading. Just two kilometers away from nothing less than Kasteel Drakensteyn – better known as the residence of Princess Beatrix. The route starts about a kilometer from the campsite. A good tip if you’re planning to gravel bike in the area.
It’s pitch black and super quiet at night. As a result, we sleep wonderfully. In the morning, we wake up to the sound of singing birds, and when we’re having breakfast, the sun shines through the trees. What else could be a holiday? In our opinion, this campsite is definitely worth a try if you’re starting your bike tour from somewhere outside Utrecht.
Are you going mountain biking for the first time? Then read these tips as well:
Hilversum Airport & parking
After a coffee, we get on our bikes. We whiz along asphalt roads past beautiful farms in the direction of Hilversum Airport. If you don't plan to spend the night near the route, this is also a great place to park your car and take a bike ride.
Gravelheaven
We continue cycling north, to the Hoorneboegseheide to be exact. Here we cycle over gravel paths as you would expect; without any potholes and through the most beautiful nature. Unfortunately, the route only covers a small part of the heathland and we soon have to say goodbye to this beautiful stretch. But you could easily add a few more kilometers to the route here. You will definitely not regret it.
Bad luck
We are enjoying the nice weather and beautiful nature immensely. Unfortunately, we suddenly encounter some setbacks; after about twenty kilometers, my tire goes flat within a few seconds. We pump it up and it seems to help. But after three kilometers, it’s gone again, and so there’s no choice but to replace it… Unfortunately, that’s also part of adventure!
A royal touch
After a stretch of mountain bike track, which is actually easy to do on a gravel bike, we cycle towards Soestdijk. Better known as Paleis Soestdijk, where Queen Juliana lived until her death in 2004. We cycle along Koningslaan – a very beautiful gravel path of exactly 1 kilometer long that runs through tall trees. At the end there is the Naald van Waterloo, a monument in honor of King Willem II. We catch a glimpse of the palace garden and then cycle towards the Soesterduinen. Here a nice undulating cycle path runs through the dunes.
Lunch
Now that we are about 45 kilometers into the hike, we are getting hungry for lunch! Just over a kilometer after the Hilton Hotel, a sign on the left side of the forest path points to Restaurant ‘t Hoogt. Here you’ll find a great terrace. We both order an Italian bowl of salmon and get a hefty plate full. With this lunch, we can get back to it. But soon we’re back to square one. After just a kilometer, we do come across a rather remarkable road user… a snake!
Cossacks's Cave
We cross the A28 and then arrive in another beautiful natural area; the Kozakkenput near Zeist. This area consists of heather, fields, and forest. The old roads that cut through the area are perfect for graveling in the Utrecht area. We make a nice loop and then cycle back towards Soesterberg.
Air Base Soesterberg
Although we have been on the road most of the time, that doesn’t mean the route is any less exciting now. The runway of Vliegbasis Soesterberg is waiting for us. About a hundred years ago, the first military aircraft took off here, and for a long time it was an important military base for our country. Nowadays, the air base and the surrounding area are dedicated to culture and recreation. And that means you can sprint across the smooth asphalt of the wide runway. Also take a look to the left, because the building of the National Military Museum is amazing!
Back to the campsite
We cycle another fifteen or so kilometers through the forests, including through Landgoed Pijnenburg. Of course, we wonder if this area has any connection to the famous breakfast cookie. But after a quick Google search, we find that it originated in Geldrop in Brabant.
And now it's all over again! Time for a hot shower at the campsite and a steak with fries at home in Brabant.
Route
This is a great route through a royal area and you can ride gravel like a king (in the Utrecht (and North Holland) countryside).
Good to know:
- Would you prefer a shorter gravel route? There are plenty of points on the route where you can easily cut off a section. For example, you can leave the lower loop to the left and cycle from Restaurant ‘t Hoogt via the Soester Hoogt straight to Vliegbasis Soesterberg.
- We cycled this route on a Saturday in April. Despite the beautiful weather, there was no traffic on the bike paths.
- In addition to Palace Soestdijk, Castle Groeneveld and Castle Drakensteyn are also close to the route. Take an extra detour for an even more regal touch.
At ‘Outside in the Kuil’In Lage Vuursche, after finishing your run, you can have a nice drink on a chill terrace. Everything here is designed for cyclists, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts, so dirty clothes are no problem. It’s also a suitable place for coffee or lunch if you start at a different part of the route.
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.