Hidden fens and small winding roads
Maarn, Leersum, Driebergen
Off the beaten track, the Utrechtse Heuvelrug and Gelderse Vallei are full of things that give meaning to the landscape. This route tells you a lot about the history of these natural areas. How nature was formed and how the interaction between man and nature determined what the landscape looks like today. On this tour, you will discover relics from the ice age, the 20th century and even from just a few years ago. The power of nature and the influence of man are central to this. The Utrechtse Heuvelrug and Gelderse Vallei form a tandem. Over 150,000 years ago, the hill region was formed as deposits from the great rivers were finely pressed down during the penultimate ice age. Gelderse Valley was formed when the ice retreated after the ice age. Since then, this lower part of the landscape lies between the Veluwe and the Utrechtse Heuvelrug. In the present, the alternation between the wooded hills and the open, green valley is a beautiful setting to spend a day hiking through nature. You can see this alternation very nicely at the Leersumse Veld, which lies exactly at the transition between the hills and the valley. The little pools and ponds that lie here in the open landscape, near the Leersumse Berg, show how the landscape varies. They are lower than the surrounding area because a lot of subsoil was pushed away here, which actually made the Hill Ridge higher. The Leersumse Veld marks the beginning of Gelderse Valley. Later, the landscape was further shaped by man. Man used the hills and the wet valley to his advantage for transport and during wars. Near Maarn, for instance, an old sand quarry can be found, where sand was extracted for the construction of highways and railway lines. This place has since been given back to nature. Birds, flowers and plants find a resting area there. Further on, outside the woods, you cycle along the Grebbelinie. Here, the valley was used as a weapon and conveniently flooded. The line was even still used in World War II, when Germany invaded the Netherlands. You will discover the Heuvelrug and the Valley via an alternative route that stays away from busy roads. The quiet paths around Maarn, the winding roads near Woudenberg, the open polder stretches near Doorn and the forest paths of Driebergen and Zeist will lead you around during this round trip. Along the way, there are opportunities at the Beauforthuis, the Wapen van Sandenburg and Klein Zwitserland to have something to eat and drink in the serene surroundings. This premium cycle route has been compiled by our editor: Huub Mol
| Directions | Distance | Total distance | |
|
Start: Oude Woudenbergsezandweg , 3707 HT Zeist | 57.3 KM | |
|
From
10
to
83
|
1306 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head east on Oude Woudenbergsezandweg | 1.3 KM | ||
| You are now at section 83 | 0 M | ||
|
From
83
to
1
|
534 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head east on Oude Woudenbergsezandweg | 534 M | ||
| You are now at section 01 | 0 M | ||
|
From
1
to
71
|
1111 M | 1.1 KM | |
| Head south | 742 M | ||
| Continue onto Nieuwe Weg | 38 M | ||
| Turn right | 35 M | ||
| Turn right onto Woudenbergseweg | 24 M | ||
| Turn left | 272 M | ||
| You are now at section 71 | 0 M | ||
|
From
71
to
3
|
2020 M | 2 KM | |
| Head southeast on Austerlitzseweg | 717 M | ||
| Continue onto Oude Postweg | 930 M | ||
| Turn left onto Hubertweg | 12 M | ||
| Turn right | 339 M | ||
| Turn left onto Traayweg | 22 M | ||
| You are now at section 03 | 0 M | ||
|
From
3
to
6
|
2784 M | 2.8 KM | |
| Head east | 10 M | ||
| Continue straight | 2.1 KM | ||
| Make a slight right onto De Hoogt | 637 M | ||
| Turn left | 50 M | ||
| You are now at section 06 | 0 M | ||
|
From
6
to
89
|
6269 M | 6.3 KM | |
| Head northeast on Amersfoortseweg | 13 M | ||
| Turn right onto Poortse Bos | 510 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Tuindorpweg | 893 M | ||
| Turn left onto Bakkersweg | 538 M | ||
| Turn right onto Planetenbaan | 13 M | ||
| Turn left onto Schapendrift | 594 M | ||
| Turn right onto Dwarsweg | 443 M | ||
| Turn right onto Brummelsbergen | 178 M | ||
| Turn left onto Ringelpoelweg | 958 M | ||
| Turn right onto Maarsbergseweg | 271 M | ||
| Turn left onto Monnickendijk | 1.9 KM | ||
| You are now at section 89 | 0 M | ||
|
From
89
to
85
|
1525 M | 1.5 KM | |
| Head south on Rumelaarseweg | 657 M | ||
| Turn left onto Strubbelenburg | 868 M | ||
| You are now at section 85 | 0 M | ||
|
From
85
to
84
|
1677 M | 1.7 KM | |
| Head northeast on Laagerfseweg | 347 M | ||
| Turn right onto Brinkkanterweg | 1.3 KM | ||
| You are now at section 84 | 0 M | ||
|
From
84
to
81
|
954 M | 1 KM | |
| Head south on Jaagpad | 954 M | ||
| You are now at section 81 | 0 M | ||
|
From
81
to
22
|
2746 M | 2.7 KM | |
| Head southeast on Jaagpad | 112 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Jaagpad | 6 M | ||
| Continue straight | 15 M | ||
| Continue onto Jaagpad | 533 M | ||
| Turn right onto Broekerweg | 236 M | ||
| Turn left onto De Steeg | 1.8 KM | ||
| You are now at section 22 | 0 M | ||
|
From
22
to
83
|
1969 M | 2 KM | |
| Head southwest on Oudenhorsterpad | 766 M | ||
| Turn left onto Laagerfseweg | 1.2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 83 | 0 M | ||
|
From
83
to
82
|
533 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head south on Laagerfseweg | 533 M | ||
| You are now at section 82 | 0 M | ||
|
From
82
to
71
|
3518 M | 3.5 KM | |
| Head northwest on Haarweg | 237 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Heulweg | 839 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Heulweg | 2.4 KM | ||
| You are now at section 71 | 0 M | ||
|
From
71
to
12
|
589 M | 0.6 KM | |
| Head south on Heulweg | 589 M | ||
| You are now at section 12 | 0 M | ||
|
From
12
to
11
|
1695 M | 1.7 KM | |
| Head southwest on Utrechtse Baan | 480 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 497 M | ||
| Turn right | 36 M | ||
| Turn left | 110 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Broekhuizerlaan | 572 M | ||
| You are now at section 11 | 0 M | ||
|
From
11
to
10
|
794 M | 0.8 KM | |
| Head northwest on Broekhuizerlaan | 794 M | ||
| You are now at section 10 | 0 M | ||
|
From
10
to
8
|
3813 M | 3.8 KM | |
| Head northwest on Darthuizerweg | 720 M | ||
| Turn left onto Zandweg | 643 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Zandweg | 2.5 KM | ||
| You are now at section 08 | 0 M | ||
|
From
8
to
9
|
1571 M | 1.6 KM | |
| Head south on Sandenburgerlaan | 1.6 KM | ||
| You are now at section 09 | 0 M | ||
|
From
9
to
59
|
5637 M | 5.6 KM | |
| Head northwest on Gooyerdijk | 2.2 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Rhodensteijnselaan | 1.2 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Langbroekerdijk A | 2.3 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Langbroekerdijk | 18 M | ||
| You are now at section 59 | 0 M | ||
|
From
59
to
5
|
4185 M | 4.2 KM | |
| Head northeast on Sterkenburgerlaan | 1.2 KM | ||
| Turn left to stay on Sterkenburgerlaan | 143 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Sterkenburgerlaan | 1.2 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Driebergsestraatweg | 30 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Driebergsestraatweg | 638 M | ||
| Turn right onto Hydeparklaan | 975 M | ||
| You are now at section 05 | 0 M | ||
|
From
5
to
4
|
1376 M | 1.4 KM | |
| Head northwest on Arnhemsebovenweg | 4 M | ||
| Turn right | 558 M | ||
| Turn left | 814 M | ||
| You are now at section 04 | 0 M | ||
|
From
4
to
16
|
210 M | 0.2 KM | |
| Head northeast on Traaij | 203 M | ||
| Turn left | 7 M | ||
| You are now at section 16 | 0 M | ||
|
From
16
to
96
|
2061 M | 2.1 KM | |
| Head northwest | 1.4 KM | ||
| Turn right | 65 M | ||
| Turn left | 595 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 11 M | ||
| You are now at section 96 | 0 M | ||
|
From
96
to
79
|
1701 M | 1.7 KM | |
| Head northwest on Arnhemsebovenweg | 470 M | ||
| Continue straight | 121 M | ||
| Continue onto Arnhemse Bovenweg | 116 M | ||
| Turn left | 16 M | ||
| Turn right onto Arnhemse Bovenweg | 5 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 808 M | ||
| Continue onto Kees Neven brug | 32 M | ||
| Continue straight | 5 M | ||
| Turn right onto Hoofdstraat | 128 M | ||
| You are now at section 79 | 0 M | ||
|
From
79
to
80
|
1205 M | 1.2 KM | |
| Head northeast on Stationsplein | 295 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Driebergseweg | 509 M | ||
| Continue straight | 123 M | ||
| Continue onto Driebergseweg | 278 M | ||
| You are now at section 80 | 0 M | ||
|
From
80
to
11
|
1112 M | 1.1 KM | |
| Head northeast | 24 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Driebergseweg | 1.1 KM | ||
| Continue straight | 38 M | ||
| You are now at section 11 | 0 M | ||
|
From
11
to
81
|
211 M | 0.2 KM | |
| Head northwest on 2e Dorpsstraat | 211 M | ||
| You are now at section 81 | 0 M | ||
|
From
81
to
82
|
1267 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head northeast on Het Rond | 963 M | ||
| Keep right onto Slotlaan | 80 M | ||
| Make a slight right to stay on Slotlaan | 161 M | ||
| Turn right | 63 M | ||
| You are now at section 82 | 0 M | ||
|
From
82
to
84
|
2071 M | 2.1 KM | |
| Head northeast on Verlengde Slotlaan | 407 M | ||
| Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Verlengde Slotlaan | 28 M | ||
| Exit the roundabout onto Verlengde Slotlaan | 1.1 KM | ||
| Turn right | 32 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 33 M | ||
| Turn right onto Verlengde Slotlaan | 438 M | ||
| You are now at section 84 | 0 M | ||
|
From
84
to
10
|
869 M | 0.9 KM | |
| Head southeast on Oude Woudenbergse Zandweg | 869 M | ||
| You are now at section 10 | 0 M |