A beautiful wood fire brings the necessary warmth on a cool Saturday morning. Small plumes of warm breath slowly rise up. Happy greetings and admiring glances at beautiful bicycles. As a bystander, you wouldn’t really know what is about to happen on this December morning. A group of female cyclists greet each other and have just completed the registration at the desk. Laughing broadly and full of good cheer, they set off for this edition of Where The Streets Have No Name (WTSHNN) by True Grit. Routemaster Gijs looks on with a broad smile. We can’t wait to maybe ride the most beautiful gravel route in the Gooi. Gravelen as a king (in) You can definitely do it here! The coffee at Buiten in de Kuil tastes good at any rate. Wrapped in warm foil and with a whole lot of enthusiasm, we jump on the bike. Here we go!
Where the streets have no name
When Gijs Bruinsma started organizing gravel events a few years ago, he probably couldn’t have imagined that his WTSHNN concept would become such a success. Tickets have long since sold out, and there are even stories that cyclists are doing their best to attend all the editions. For the winter edition of WTSHNN, Buiten in de Kuil is the starting point. For the 80-kilometer route we are riding today, we split the time between the provinces of Utrecht and North Holland. We are actually right in the middle of the Gooi. Princess Beatrix is likely watching from her bedroom as the enthusiastic gravel riders take part. Drakenstein is only a stone’s throw away after all.
Through the forest and over the moor
This part of the Netherlands has a beautiful combination of forest and heathland. When we start our route, we immediately enter the wooded area around Lage Vuursche. In this nature reserve you can pick up your gravel bike. Today, several trails have been opened specifically for us. As you can see after just a dozen kilometers, not everyone knows this. An elderly woman parks her dog pontificantly in front of our wheels. ‘You are not allowed to cycle here!’ You can’t blame her. However, the wide path we are currently crossing offers enough space for a dog, a woman, and a bike. The first loop turns and returns to the south of Lage Vuursche. We almost reach the village of Bilthoven and then go through various loops over the Pijnenburg estate towards the Soesterberg Air Base for stop number one.
Historical ground
The Vliegbasis Soesterberg served as an air base for the Dutch Air Force until the early 2000s. In the immediate vicinity, you can still see many things that remind you of that. Many race bike enthusiasts will know both the start runway and the beautiful photo spot, but the so-called ’tank runway’ that runs to the nearby military camp Zeist is also a reminder of the many military activities in this area. The nearby Amersfoort is traditionally a ’garrison city‘ and still has a barracks. Closer by is the Dumoulinkazerne, with no connection to the former gold medalist Tom. The air base itself is freely accessible and there are still many hangars, bunkers, towers, and gun emplacements. A beautiful insight into military history, further reinforced by the National Military Museum. Our tip: if you’re planning a trip, then it’s Restaurant Café Soesterdal A perfect spot for a coffee break!
Bakkie, waffle, pancake!
At the first stop, we are well taken care of. Il Magistrale makes delicious baked goods; there is a wide selection of clif bars, waffles, and other cookies. Speaking of cookies: at the Endura stand, a long line forms for the fresh pancakes. The hangar where this post is set up creates a beautiful atmosphere on this beautiful morning. So far, the weather has been favorable and there seems to be a small sunbeam breaking through. The trails are passable, with here and there a puddle of water, but by no means a mud bath. This side of Lage Vuursche is truly a gravel playground.
Take off in three-two-one
After shaking hands with many of our acquaintances, we get ready for part two. We head back towards Pijnenburg estate, but first we have to cross the runway. Although I’ve already driven it a lot, it still feels a little different. At the end of the runway we turn back into the forest. We get another stretch of asphalt before reaching the wide forest paths again. We continue on, crisscrossing the estate and following the road along the Wieksloterweg, normally a paradise for road cyclists (And on weekends it’s torture because of the many ‘sport club traffic’). We are now crossing over to the ‘real Gooi’, because we are going behind the castle Groeneveld, near Baarn. Here we are also presented with the first stretches of the MTB course. We swing over tree roots and other protrusions and merrily continue on.
Chocostop and Hilversum's Hei
Upon entering the Hilversum heath, the steaming chocolate drink from route sponsor Komoot awaits us. We answer the request for a sip of rum with a ‘no’, but we do not skip the chocolate drink itself (and the dollop of whipped cream). Not for nothing is this brown treat recommended as an alternative recovery drink. The atmosphere is good and we ‘smell the stable’. The fact that we also get our first drops here hardly seems to matter. From now on, we no longer leave the province of North Holland and we return home via the heath. We pass Theehuis ’t Bluk several times. How this name came about remains a mystery. One thing is certain. This part of the route is certainly the most beautiful gravel route in the Gooi.
Finish with a burger and a cup of coffee
The last five kilometers are no longer going smoothly. Bastiaan, a resident of Hilversum, turned around prematurely. Brommer Frank drives me home. With a puff of air and a support, we turn the final 100 meters and roll down the hill, through the starting arch. We eagerly take the alcohol-free refreshment from De Kromme Haring. The drizzle has turned into rain. We park the bike and dive into the warm tent. There awaits a well-deserved burger with a good portion of fries for us. For the final 15 kilometers home. Yet we all agree on one thing: this is a great event and perhaps the most beautiful gravel route in the Gooi (and surroundings).
Questions & tips
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