{"id":14288,"date":"2024-01-23T17:03:38","date_gmt":"2024-01-23T16:03:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyclingdestination.cc\/?p=14288"},"modified":"2024-01-23T17:03:38","modified_gmt":"2024-01-23T16:03:38","slug":"cycling-from-landal-sallandse-heuvelrug-beautiful-routes-in-the-east-of-the-netherlands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cyclingdestination.cc\/en\/verhalen\/fietsen-vanuit-landal-sallandse-heuvelrug-prachtige-routes-in-het-oosten-van-nederland","title":{"rendered":"Cycling from Landal Sallandse Heuvelrug: beautiful routes in the east of the Netherlands"},"content":{"rendered":"

As I look outside, small snowflakes slowly form a beautiful white blanket over the landscape. I take a sip of my coffee, while the bungalow\u2019s underfloor heating keeps me wonderfully warm. \u2018Nice, because you\u2019re not supposed to be cycling in the snow,\u2019 I hear you thinking now. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our \u2018vehicle fleet\u2019 has been adapted to the conditions, and the white world outside screams for attention. The small pond that was created by the pond is too beautiful to miss. We have to cycle over it. Where are we? Landal Sallandse Heuvelrug,<\/a> In the Twente countryside, just outside Wierden in the hamlet (I suppose I can call it that?) of Hoge Hexel. An ideal cycling destination, if you want to know why? Then read on quickly!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A white winter landscape at Landal Sallandse Heuvelrug (c) Mark Heij<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Text: Sander Kolsloot, photos; Sander Kolsloot, Aniek Rooderkerken, Mark Heij<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through a white, crinkly landscape<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Anyone who picks up the map of the Netherlands and searches for Hoge Hexel will soon see that it is almost perfectly located for exploring Twente and, in particular, the unpaved paths in the region. It\u2019s not even that far from the German border, which increases the possibilities threefold. The attentive cyclist will also see the National Park Sallandse Heuvelrug. That\u2019s nice. And if you really look closely, one of the MTB routes runs RIGHT through the park. If that\u2019s not beautiful enough, I don\u2019t know what is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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With snow and ice, it\u2019s actually even more enjoyable in the region<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The white snow under my thick tires crunches and crumbles as I set off on Monday afternoon through the Sallandse Heuvelrug. One thing is certain: when the conditions are this beautiful (sun and snow), I have to get out there. The golf is great and the wind is blowing in my face. From Nijverdal this nature park is at your feet and I take a few nice stretches of unpaved road from the east. The ground is sometimes frozen, but often I still walk over beautiful fresh snow. The deeper I go into the park, the more beautiful the views become. Especially in spring and summer, when the purple heather is in bloom, you just want to be here. Slingering between the low bushes, over wide paths into the forest. Then again ploughing through the sand, then through the snow. This doesn\u2019t let me go anywhere soon!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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These kinds of paths are\u2026<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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to lick your fingers off<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Falling and getting up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A small slope at the bottom of the hill, I have to admit I\u2019m still struggling with that. It has become slippery from the freezing cold, but when I get home, I\u2019m still smiling from ear to ear. This route of over 40 kilometers starts and ends at the park, with a start over the \u2018cycling highway F35\u2019. A great start to the week. The weather always plays a role in making beautiful trips. So here too, as on Tuesday the snow, the freezing cold, and the combination of the two throw a bit of a spanner in the works. Although, \u2018spanner in the works\u2019? We get a nice invitation from Bram Schots, from the local bike shop \u2018Herman Beleef Fietsen\u2019. The coffee is ready, when we\u2019re in the neighborhood\u2026? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On the pedals towards Herman Beleef Fietsen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Hellendoorn \u2013 Adventure Park<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the snow has stopped a bit and it seems to be around 0 degrees for a while, we set off. Mark Heij, my travel companion for the day, and I get our bikes and head out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Who is Herman?\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you are on the park<\/a> If you\u2019re staying in Nijverdal, it\u2019s actually the best place to start your routes. Especially at the Scott Experience Center of Herbert Korblet and Jeroen van der Heide. Herman Experience Cycling<\/a> It is literally a stone\u2019s throw from the Park Sallandse Heuvelrug, and when we enter, we are warmly welcomed. With the local dialect, we get the main question: \u2018kop koffie mannen?\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We feel right at home here and from the shop we take a nice route northwards towards Hellendoorn. Before we actually get on the bike, I have to ask: \u2018Who is Herman?\u2019 \u2013 the person the shop is named after. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Herbert\u2019s father, Herman, passed away relatively young, and as Herbert recounts, that is one of the reasons he started cycling. Herman hangs a beautiful photo prominently in the shop. A beautiful tribute. And it turns out there is something positive as well: in the area, it quickly becomes \u2018let\u2019s go and visit Herman\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Governing is about foresight<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If we follow the plan for our 12 provinces, 12 parks, 12 months<\/a> Making a series, we cannot predict that January is going to surprise us with a thick blanket of snow. In fact, it is almost spring already with New Year's Eve, and there is also rain the following days, or even more rain. The district heads don't need to get together. The foremen, on the other hand, are working overtime. However, King Winter is still knocking on the door, and look! A beautiful blanket of snow. Now, that doesn't really matter for graveling, although cycling in the sun is preferred. As the day of check-in approaches, it suddenly starts tingling: it's going to snow! That will be beautiful pictures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It's really beautiful here<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Wow, what a beautiful place this is.\u2019 I find myself saying this for the fourth time already. Is it right? Of course. With my traveling companions, I\u2019m traveling along the local routes around the park. It must be the combination of sloping roads, beautiful views, and then again a nice unpaved path through the woods. Every route we take gives us a different insight. Where on Tuesday we head towards Hellendoorn and take part of the MTB route in that direction, on Wednesday we\u2019re \u2018heading south\u2019. This time towards Rijssen, where we let the landscape pass us by. Some roads are very hard, frozen, and therefore a bit less passable. But the majority are lovely to drive on, but in these circumstances some caution is advised. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sunny but also white with Aniek!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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more farm roads<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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sometimes a strip of green<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When you look at this side of the Heuvelrug, you see a different landscape from around Hellendoorn. It is also hilly, but here there are more fields. More roads where you can really plough through. The farmers here will confirm that. The windmill in Rijssen is a nice place for a photo, but then again quickly on. A little south of Rijssen we stop at a hotel. It is not recommended, right near the Koerbelt. The coffee can handle it, we\u2019ll just say that. Companion Aniek, who is representing partner SheWielrent<\/a> Even when we shake our heads disapprovingly when Maarten, the mastermind behind the Pedaleurs podcast and local hero, talks to us later. We almost get laughed at. If we wanted to go for a nice \u2018coffee run\u2019, he would have known some great places. But not \u2018there, among the rimpelsauriers\u2019. That\u2019s on the list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MTB routes \u2013 suitable for gravel!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What makes the Twente region extra beautiful is the extensive network of MTB routes. Literally running across the park is the Wierden MTB route. You can follow it all the way and in the meantime pick up a few beautiful, rural gravel tracks. Ruts where you can pedal to your heart\u2019s content. You head up here towards villages like Vroomshoop and Vriezenveen. Villages that still have the typical features of the old days: a church, a pub, and in some even a Rabobank! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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pictures, really<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Enjoying it when you return<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My travel companion Mark is working on his laptop to the left of me. My other travel companion Aniek is enjoying a cup of tea to the right of me. I\u2019ll just sit down on the sofa for a while. This is actually quite manageable, enjoying a few days of Twente countryside from here in Hoge Hexel. Our 6-person accommodation is more than enough!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Landal<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Accommodation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Op Landal Sallandse Heuvelrug<\/a> You can find several different accommodations. We have a 6-person apartment, type 6B. A lovely space where you can spend a long weekend, midweek, or week with a group of friends or girlfriends. Our variant has 1 bathroom, and 3 bedrooms, and a nice space to eat and relax in in the evening. Especially in the summer, there is also a lovely space outside to watch the sun set. The park also has a number of handy facilities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n