{"id":1928,"date":"2021-09-20T08:57:43","date_gmt":"2021-09-20T08:57:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyclingdestination.cc\/?p=1928"},"modified":"2021-09-20T08:57:43","modified_gmt":"2021-09-20T08:57:43","slug":"cycling-on-the-ridge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cyclingdestination.cc\/en\/verhalen\/fietsen-op-de-heuvelrug","title":{"rendered":"Cycling on the Heuvelrug: a classic from Bunnik"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cycling on the Heuvelrug. Anyone looking for a little bit of elevation in the Netherlands will soon find themselves on a route through the Utrecht Heuvelrug. For many people in the Randstad, this is the first opportunity to experience the real thing. Of course, it\u2019s not quite the same as climbing a mountain. alpencol<\/a> or it doesn't look remotely like the longer one The Ardennes<\/a> Work. Yet you can still tackle a few beautiful climbs from Bunnik. This is one of my favorite routes! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Heuvelrug Highlights 75km<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Theehuis Rhijnauwen<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For everyone who comes from Utrecht or who wants to ride this route, it is Theehuis Rhijnauwen<\/a><\/strong> A nice and recognizable starting point. Not only is it the perfect spot to stop for a quick meal after a ride with a good pancake, the road leading to it, from Utrecht, offers a very beautiful and atmospheric view! Alternatively, you can also start this route from Early<\/strong> in Bunnik. The coffee is already brewed there on time and they really have delicious cake and lunch. In the summer there is also ice cream, so there is something for everyone in this neighborhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Theehuis Rhijnauwen as the perfect base for exploring the area<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On to the hills<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The route itself starts with a nice long, winding stretch over the Achterdijk<\/em>. For many Utrecht cyclists, this is a favorite because you have four kilometers of space. Yes, there is traffic, but you don\u2019t have to constantly squeeze the brakes and there are no traffic lights either. You can almost go all the way to Langbroek, but for now we\u2019re turning towards the \u2018castle route<\/strong>\u2018. This isn\u2019t necessarily an official route, but you\u2019ll still pick up a few nice old outfits this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beverweert and Ridderhofstad Sterkenburg<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once you have crossed the N229, turn off between the yellow decorations along the road and onto Molenhoeflaan. Soon enough, you will see the (abandoned) Castle Beverweert<\/strong>. Here, the average handyman can get their fix. From a distance, it still looks reasonably well maintained, but closer you see that it really needs more than just a lick of paint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The road past this castle is very quiet, but relatively narrow. Two cars cannot just pass through it, so be careful with oncoming traffic. After the bend you come to a nice stretch under the trees, where you could sprint full speed. At the end of this stretch you turn right and then you see in the distance, on the right, the Ridderhofstad Sterkenburg. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Not seen any hills yet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So far, everything has been fairly flat. Geographically, we also have to head a little further north, because that\u2019s where the final Utrecht Huvelrug lies, where you have to take into account the altitude meters. We do this by going to Castle Sterkenburg <\/a>(by the way, a fantastic wedding location, tip!) Turn left, onto Sterkenburgerlaan, and at the end, turn right onto the Gooijerdijk. This stretch of road is wonderful. The asphalt is good, you are surrounded by meadows, and sometimes you drive through a section of forest. Here you can drive for miles undisturbed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The real work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the Gooijerdijk<\/strong>, After crossing the N-road, turn left onto the Sandenburgerlaan. Here, in the distance on the right, you can still see Castle Sandenburg<\/strong> lying down. At the end of Sandenburgerlaan, near the restaurant, the trail starts to level out for the first time. Make sure you are well-hydrated, because from now on we are going up the hill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is actually a classic triangle, the combination of Ruiterberg-Hoogstraat-Ruiterberg<\/strong>. One that you can\u2019t avoid if you\u2019re going mountain biking. It\u2019s about 2 minutes up this side of the hill for the average amateur. Ruiterberg<\/strong>. It's not very steep, because you can only climb up 5% of them, but you can feel them in your legs. The descent in the Cape forests<\/strong> It\u2019s good to catch your breath again, because afterwards you turn right at the end, just before the main road, and head back up the Hoogstraat. This is a long continuous climb that just won\u2019t seem to stop. If you can earn an imaginary mountain top, wait a long time before starting. Here you can only climb at a maximum of 7.5%, so this is a real pain in the ass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After descending the Hoogstraat, turn right again and then take the Ruiterberg trail once more. After the second descent of the Ruiterberg, turn left onto the Maarnse Grintweg. This is a popular stretch and you\u2019ll see cyclists here every month of the year. It descends quite gently downhill here, but the steeper descent comes later. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Ruiterberg,
Ruiterberg south-north (c) Sander Kolsloot<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cycling on the Heuvelrug, even in the city!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now it\u2019s just a short \u2018crossing\u2019 to Amersfoort. Along the training grounds of the Leusderheide (where you can also enjoy mountain biking and gravel riding) you drive north, towards the cycling capital. Under the A28 you drive briefly through a residential area, but at the roundabout you turn left and then you see Galgenberg<\/strong> You drive up the Amersfoort mountain, which is officially called the Hugo de Grootlaan. It\u2019s quite steep here. This climb is also about two minutes for the average amateur. There\u2019s a sign with 5% along the road, so it\u2019s a bit of a climb. According to Strava, it\u2019s 700 meters at an average of 4.4%. Especially the last stretch is very rough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Galgenberg<\/a>, Amersfoort, Netherlands<\/p>\u2022 Distance: 753 m, Elevation difference: 25 m, Average gradient: 3.3 %<\/blockquote>