An excellent hiking route from one station to another

As someone who loves hiking and craves being outdoors, I’m always looking to discover something new and utilise the outdoor environment I have at my disposal.

In this new blog post, I will highlight what good hiking opportunities there are in the Netherlands. How you can use the train to get to and from the destination, thus lowering the overall impact on the environment and of course maximising your time to put your feet up and relax along the way.

Take the train

Since living in the Netherlands, I have been particularly impressed with the quality of the train network, how easy it is to use and the many different destinations you can reach. Trainlines spread out across the majority of the country, allowing for excellent connections to be found throughout the land. With that said, travelling by train provides an excellent option for anyone who wants to get around the country, with most destinations being around 2 hours away, from any given starting point.

In all my posts, I try to remain impartial and will only ever be honest in my opinions and reviews. So, for all the train haters out there, yes the trains can get busy during peak times, and train travel can sometimes become expensive. Still, the lower emissions and less impact on the environment surely must be a better option than simply reaching for the car keys and then driving the car?

Anyway, with regards to this subject matter, we could continue to debate this forever and not reach a conclusion that makes everyone happy. So, discussions aside this is about an incredible walk you can do by train and find enjoyment from some pretty beautiful surroundings.

For more information on train travel in the Netherlands, take a look at this. Further reading can be found here.

Hiking in the Netherlands

Although relatively flat, the Netherlands has a surprising amount of hiking trails set over varied types of terrain. From coastal walking routes, walks in inland dunes, the woods, to the undulating hills of Limburg, the Netherlands has a lot to offer any hiking enthusiast.

If you look around carefully, you will discover it has many different routes on offer from long-distance hiking routes to shorter routes. All routes are well signposted and mapped on walking maps, apps and appropriate walking sites.

To encourage more of the public to get outside and utilise their outdoor spaces, the Dutch train network actively encourages and promotes hikers to take the train to a destination, and enjoy a micro-adventure in their new surroundings. The NS train service will suggest stations for you, in various regions of the country and promote routes that start from there.

Some of these routes are looped routes and some go from one point to another. Allowing you to start at one destination and then finish somewhere else. It is a great idea and a fantastic way to spend the day, and it cannot help but encourage individuals, families and friends to get outside, wander and explore among some incredible areas of natural beauty.

The following website from the NS train service provides many routes for you to choose from.

My route - Maarn to Driebregen Zeist

Part of the hiking route and the great walking trails to be found in the area.

I decided to take this route as it is not only an area I know pretty well and enjoy, but it is also not too far from my home in Rotterdam. Door to door with a quick change over at Utrecht station it is about a 1-hour journey. It is a pleasant journey through the polders of Zuid Holland and the farmland all around and also an excellent time to relax and watch the world go by.

Maarn station is a small village station, and it sits right next to the beautiful National Park Utrechtse Heuvelrug. This national park is stunning, with some incredibly scenic spots. The park is pretty extensive, and it lies between the villages of Leusden and Rhenen and comprises a multitude of different landscape forms, of which the lateral moraine is the most striking. This natural area dates back to the Ice Age when ice and subsequent glacial deposits stretched this far across the country.

Its moors, drifting sands and floodplains are also part of the national parkland, with the Heuvelrug being the second largest forest area in the Netherlands after the Veluwe. The national park has existed since 2003. In 2013 it was significantly expanded to encourage and protect the natural environment, with the proclamation of a national park, a legal basis was laid down to protect the area and keep it attractive and protected for future generations.

From Maarn station, I had planned a route directly out of the back of the village and into the forest. Houses sit on the outskirts of the forest, and this seems such a peaceful place to live. Once in the woods, the trails are all around, and you can then follow path after path, which is generally sand underfoot or compacted gravel. It makes for an excellent surface to walk on as is continuously flat and even.

Being in the woods is great. It is so peaceful, and the surroundings are very picturesque. The sound of birds and the occasional glimpse of other animals makes it all worthwhile. Next to the hiking trails are many different cycling paths and bridleways, so the possibility of riding your bike or horse in the area is equally as appealing to those who want to get out and explore.

As previously mentioned, this unique area is formed from the last ice age, and there are several inland dunes to discover on the route. They are hidden in the forest, but once they appear, they add a new dimension to this exciting walk and landscape. One of these areas is relatively large and accommodates a small lake which you can walk around. It is popular with people seeking rest or a pleasant place for a picnic.

The walk continues into an open space close to a rest stop called the Eetcafé Onder de Pannen, which is an ideal place for a rest and something to eat and drink. From here, I continue to walk and wander on across the open space, which is made up of grassland and the ideal spot to watch deer grazing in the early mornings. It is an atmospheric place with good light and lingering fog, so it would make for good photos or sketches if the conditions are right.

The path then leads me closer to my destination and the village of Driebergen and the train station that lies beyond its village limits. Before entering the town, you also pass one of the many campsites that can be found in the region. It is a popular place for campers and people looking to get away from things for a few days.

The RCN Vakantiepark Het Grote Bos - Camping en bungalow park looks a great place to stay. It seems reasonably big, but quiet enough for you to have a pleasant stay. I have seen this place on several visits to the area, and one time it might be worth staying for a night or two.

Soon enough, the walk begins entering the outskirts of Driebergen, and some of the houses here are simply idyllic. Large and private, with the forest trails on your doorstep, what a beautiful place this must be to live. To eventually reach the station, you continue on the path that ultimately leads into a cycle path. Continue on this and walk through a small park and there before you is your destination end.

The station here is a little bigger than at Maarn and there is also bike storage, in the station and a bus station across the road. It is all spotless, efficient and convenient for anyone visiting or passing through this area. From here the train runs back and forth from Utrecht in one direction and to Arnhem in the other. Boarding here gives you the option to travel back to the city of Utrecht or go to new natural destinations in the east of the Netherlands or even further afield.

The Walking Stats

This route is one of many hiking routes you could do in the immediate area or even further afield. The choice is entirely up to you! I walked this 7 mile or 11 km route in around 1 hour 43 minutes. I didn’t walk too fast; I was generally taking my time admiring the view and snapping far too many pictures on the camera.

It had an elevation gain of around 124 feet, so it shows that it is flat and it is an ideal place to ride your bike or run some of the trails, which I hope to do again soon.

All in all, it was a pleasant time spent outdoors, and by catching the train, it shows how easy it is to do.

To view, more about this Strava route and more of my other activities click below.

Would I recommend it?

To anyone living in the Netherlands or visiting on holiday, there is no doubt this is a beautiful area to visit. There is such a lot to do here and so much for you to discover out in the open. Getting here without the car is an alternative and by suggesting the train it just shows how accessible this place is and with that it makes me want to get outside and do this a whole lot more.

In future micro-adventures, I hope to find some new routes and maybe suggest those as an alternative to hiking or running.

Thanks for reading and if you have any ideas or comments please add them to comment box below. Feedback is very helpful.

For more information on the national park click on the icon below.

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