For cool gravel routes, you quickly think of Brabant, Drenthe Whether the Achterhoek. But nothing could be further from the truth; a stone's throw from the Randstad, we discovered a very varied gravel ride. This 77-kilometre route takes you across the moors of Hilversum, through the forests of the Utrecht Hill Ridge and past the most beautiful villas. A gravel ride with a royal touch, as we don't skip Soestdijk Palace either. And how about a ride on the runway of Soesterberg Air Base? Here you can really gravel like a king or queen!
Text and photos: Nynke Cuperus
Nice starting spot
We spend the night at 'Nature campsite Fazantenhof', a campsite tucked away in the woods between Lage Vuursche and Hollandsche Rading. Barely two kilometres away from none other than Castle Drakensteyn - better known as the home of Princess Beatrix. The route starts about a kilometre from the campsite. So a good tip if you're graveling in the area.
It is pitch black and super quiet at night. As a result, we sleep great. In the morning, we wake up to the sound of birds singing and when we sit down to breakfast, the sun shines through the trees. If that's not a holiday? As far as we are concerned, this campsite is definitely a must for a relaxed start to your cycling trip if you are not from the Utrecht area.
Are you going bikepacking for the first time? Then read these tips too:
Hilversum airport & parking
After a coffee, we get on our bikes. We wind along tarmac roads past pretty farms towards Hilversum airport. Should you not spend the night near the route, this is also a great place to park your car and get on your bike.
Gravelheaven
We cycle further north, to the Hoorneboegseheide to be precise. Here we cycle on gravel paths the way you want to see them; without potholes and through the most beautiful nature. Unfortunately, the route only runs over a small part of the heath and we soon say goodbye to this beautiful stretch again. But you could easily add a few more kilometres to the route here. You certainly won't regret it.
Bad luck
We enjoy the nice weather and beautiful scenery immensely. Unfortunately, we suddenly suffer some setbacks; after about 20 kilometres, my tyre goes flat within seconds. We pump it up and it seems to help. But after three kilometres it goes flat again, so there's no other option but to replace it... Unfortunately, that too is part of adventure!
A royal touch
After a bit of mtb-track, which by the way is quite doable on a gravel bike, we cycle towards Soestdijk. Better known for Soestdijk Palace, where Queen Juliana lived until her death in 2004. We cycle along the Koningslaan - a very pretty gravel path exactly 1 kilometre long that runs between tall trees. At the end is the Needle of Waterloo, a monument in honour of King William ll. We catch another glimpse of the palace garden and then ride towards the Soesterduinen. Here, a nice sloping cycle path runs through the dunes.
Lunch
Now that we have about 45 kilometres in our legs, we feel like lunch! Just over a kilometre after the Hilton Hotel, a sign on the left side of the forest path points to restaurant 't Hoogt. Here you will find a fine terrace. We both order an Italian roll with salmon and get a big plate full. This lunch puts us in good spirits. But soon we come to a standstill again. After barely a kilometre, we come across a very remarkable fellow road user... a snake!
Cossack Pit
We cross the A28 and then enter another beautiful nature reserve; the Kozakkenput near Zeist. This area consists of heathland, fields, and forest. The old lanes that cut through the area are perfect for graveling in the Utrecht area. We make a nice loop and then cycle back towards Soesterberg.
Soesterberg Air Base
Although we have completed most of the tour, that does not mean the route now becomes less exciting. For the landing strip of Soesterberg Air Base awaits us. About a hundred years ago, the first military planes took off here and for a long time it was an important military base for our country. Today, the airbase and the area around it are designated for culture and recreation. And that means you can do some fantastic sprints on the smooth tarmac of the wide runway here. Also take a look to the left, as the National Military Museum building is cool!
Back to the campsite
We cycle another 15 kilometres or so through the woods, including through Pijnenburg Estate. There, of course, we wonder if this area has a link to the famous gingerbread. But after a little Googling, it turns out that it originated in the Brabant town of Geldrop.
And then it's all over! Time for a hot shower at the campsite and steak and fries at home in Brabant.
Route
This is a cool route through a royal area and you can gravel like a king (in), in the Utrecht (and North Holland) country gardens.
Good to know:
- Prefer to gravel a shorter distance? There are plenty of points on the route where you can easily cut a section off. For example, you could leave out the lower loop and cycle from Restaurant 't Hoogt via the Soester Hoogt directly to Soesterberg Air Base.
- We cycled this route on a Saturday in April. Despite the beautiful weather, the cycle paths were not crowded.
- Besides Soestdijk Palace, Groeneveld Castle and Drakensteyn Castle are also close to the route. Make an extra loop for an even more royal touch.
At 'Outside in the Pit' in Lage Vuursche, you'll have a nice drink on a chill terrace afterwards. Everything here is geared to cyclists, walkers and outdoorsmen, so dirty clothes are no problem. Also a suitable place for coffee or lunch if you start on another part of the route.
