perfect trip!
Cycling over the Veluwe
Bike Tour: Cycling over the Veluwe - 6 days
This tour has been designed for cyclists who want to truly live life to the full. During the day, you cycle through beautiful natural scenery and in the evenings you stay at Westcord Hotel de Veluwe in the village of Garderen. For no fewer than six days - what a treat! Westcord Hotel de Veluwe is known for its comfort, culinary qualities and hospitality. Your cycling holiday has never been so comfortable! The routes surprise you with a wealth of natural beauty and interesting sights. You can visit the Hoge Veluwe National Park with the Kröller-Muller museum, the Royal Palace Het Loo or the Hanseatic city of Harderwijk. During your stay, you can choose from 4 different bicycle routes. Each day you will have 3 distances to choose from.
Your hotel is situated in a unique part of the Netherlands: the centre of The Veluwe. Today, you have plenty of time to take in the beautiful surroundings. The welcoming village of Garderen is certainly worth a visit.
Vast forests, purple-colored heather fields, picturesque towns and charming cities: with the Noord Veluwe route you can see it all. You cycle over the Ermelose Heide, a heathland of no less than 343 hectares. You may encounter a shepherd with his sheepfold on the way. The largest sheep herd in Europe is located on the Ermelose heath. The tour goes along the Beekhuizerenzand and the Leuvensebeek through the Leuvenumse Bos to Kasteel Staverden. For centuries the white peacocks of the castle supplied the white feathers for the hats of the Dukes of Gerle. You pass the picturesque towns of Drie, Ermelo, Hierden and Leuvenum. You will also cycle along the beautiful old Hanseatic town of Harderwijk. Anyone who just cycles past this town will regret it. Harderwijk not only has a picturesque inner city, but also has around a hundred national monuments and you can visit the Dolfinarium. Finish your day in a relaxed manner in the sauna or solarium, or with a swim in the hotel's heated outdoor swimming pool, sauna and fitness are closed until further notice due to government regulations. Today you can also opt for a shorter route that does not go through Ermelo, Harderwijk and Hierden (44 km) or a longer tour with a loop acrosse the Beekhuizerzand (60 km).
This tour goes largely through and along the royal estate Het Loo, the largest estate in the Netherlands, most owned by the royal family. You also come to their former palace, now a museum with beautiful gardens. You start today with a variety of farmland and heathland and you will pass the Hunneschans, a medieval ring rampart located on the Uddelermeer. After coffee in Elspeet you cycle through the vast forests of the Kroondomein het Loo to the eastern edge of the Veluwe. Thanks to the many streams that flow from the Veluwe towards the IJssel, you will find yourself in a fresh green landscape around the neighborhoods of Wenum and Wiesel. Along the outskirts of Apeldoorn you cycle past the palace Het Loo and the zoo De Apenheul. After Apeldoorn you climb to the high village of Hoog Soeren. Over the heathland at Assel and through the woods at Nieuw-Millegen it goes back to the hotel in Garderen.
Today you can also opt for a shorter route that does not go past Apeldoorn with the palace (38 km) or a longer route that goes past many burial mounds and the Celtic Fields, further you pass through the nice village of Vaassen and you cycle over the former 'de Baronnenlijn' railway line to the beautiful water mill of Wenum (58 km).
Today you will go to National Park De Hoge Veluwe (ticket park only included) and discover how beautiful unspoilt nature can be. You cycle along the vast heaths and sand dunes and drifts at Kootwijk and Hoog Buurlo. With its two small farms, three residents and two sheep cages, Hoog Buurlo is perhaps the smallest hamlet in the Netherlands. You also pass Radio Kootwijk. This former channel park formed an important communication link between the Netherlands and its colonies in the twentieth century. The concrete main building is nicknamed "The Cathedral of the Veluwe" and clearly has the shape of a sphinx from the air. In Hoenderloo you will get back to civilization for a short while, after which you can enjoy heathland, fens, drifting sand and the forests in the National Park De Hoge Veluwe. In the middle of this beautiful nature area you will find the Kröller-Müller Museum with, among other things, an extensive collection of paintings by Vincent van Gogh and the beautiful sculpture garden. Hunting lodge Sint Hubertus and the underground nature museum Museonder are also worth a visit. Along the western edge of the Veluwe you cycle back through the villages of Otterlo, Harskamp and Stroe.
Today you can also opt for a shorter route and combine this with a walk on the Kootwijkerzand, you will miss De Hoge Veluwe National Park (38 km). The longer option includes a larger part of the De Hoge Veluwe National Park (61 km).
The last day of your cycling holiday take you past the prettiest spots in Western Veluwe. You will cycle through beautiful natural areas on Boeschoten Country Estate and around Voorthuizen and De Appelse Heide. The route will also guide you to recreational area Strand Nulde, great for swimming or lazing on the beach. Your trip continues to Putten and to one of the Netherlands oldest forests: Sprielder Bos, known as "the forest of dancing trees because the trees appear to dance in the mist! Also dont miss haunted Solse Gat valley, where - legend has it - a convent sank into the mud after nuns allied with the witches in the Middle Ages. Then cycle back to Garderen.
Today you can also opt for a shorter route, skipping Voorthuizen and De Appelse Heide (44 km). On the long route you follow the old coast further north after Nulde beach. Via the agricultural area around the old hamlets of Horst and Telgt and past the subtropical swimming pool “Bospad Putten” you will arrive in the Sprielder Bos (62 km).
You have cycled the Veluwe Tour. Today your bike holiday draws to a close, but not until you have indulged in a big hearty breakfast for the last time. After breakfast, it is time to go home.
*) You can choose the order yourself in which you want to cycle the day tours.
| Price pp | € | |
| Double room, breakfast | 495.00 | |
| Single room, breakfast | 770.00 | |
| Extra night double room, breakfast only | 80.00 | |
| Rental bike | € | |
| Child bike | 77.00 | |
| Hybrid | 91.00 | |
| E-bike | 196.00 | |
| Extra services | € | |
| Bike Breakdown pass | € 5.60 x 5 | 28.00 |
| Child seat | € 7.00 x 5 | 35.00 |
| Bike theft insurance | € 4.20 x 5 | 21.00 |
| E-bike theft insurance | € 8.40 x 5 | 42.00 |
| Tag-along bike | € 14.00 x 5 | 70.00 |
| Child trailer | € 25.20 x 5 | 126.00 |
| Bike helmet | per piece | 10.00 |
| SGR | per piece | 5.00 |
Starting point:
Garderen
The hotel on this trip has been carefully selected for the location, atmosphere and unique services. All rooms are en-suite.
When selecting the accomodation, we try to take into account as much as possible a safe and closed bicycle shed. However, we cannot do this with all of them guarantee and this partly depends on the number of bicycles of other guests.
If you don’t bring your own bike, you can rent one from us. Our touring bikes are 24-speed gear. You can find all the information regarding our rental bikes below.
You will find your rental bike waiting for you at your first hotel. The hotel reception staff will give you the keys for your bikes and direct you to the bicycle shed. All bikes are provided with chain locks.
Why the Dutch don't wear helmets!
Instruction video hybrid bike and e-bike
Our hybrid bikes have 24-gears with hand brakes.
The hybrid bikes are circa 16,5 KG.
The e-bikes have a small electric engine and battery, which can be charged at the hotels. You still have to pedal: it just makes pedaling much easier. Some experience with e-bikes is recommended, as the bikes accelerate faster and are heavier than regular bikes because of the electric engine. The weight of the e-bike is ca. 25 KG. We recommend a minimum height of 160 cm for the e-bike.
For children who are at least 120 cm, we can also arrange bikes (these are 24”or 26” for children that are bigger than 140 cm).
The child bikes come with at least 7-gears and hand brakes.
The maximum body height for a child’s bike is 155 cm.
24" child bike:
26" child bike:
All our rental bikes come with a bell.
Brakes
All our adult bikes come with hand brakes.
Childseat
For children up to 30 months old (max. 15 KG) it is possible to rent a front child seat. This is not possible with e-bikes, due to the display.
For children older than 30 months (max. 22KG) it is possible to rent a rear child seat. This is also possible with e-bikes.
Both front- and rear child seats are €5,- per day.
Helmet
Helmets are not mandatory in the Netherlands, but can be rented for €10,- per piece.
Available sizes: Adult: 54-61 cm, Child: 50-55 cm (only available for children over 5 years).
Lights
All our bikes come with both front- and rear lights. You need to push the button on the lamp and it will flash three times. This means that the lights will automatically start working when it gets dark.
When you push again, the lamp will flash one time and the lights will be turned off.
Locks
Our bikes come with a defender lock with plug in chain (cable lock that is attached to the regular lock, see picture).
You need to turn the key a bit, take out the pin from the cable lock and attach it to a pole/other bike/fence etc.
When you push the pin back into the regular lock, you need to lock the regular lock as you always do, and both locks will be secured.
Pannier
1 pannier is included at the 'standard' bikes and the e-bikes.
Height: 42 cm
Depth front to the side: 17 cm
Wide top: 32 cm
Wide down: 23 cm
Volume: 20 liters
It has an easy click-on/click-off system. The panniers are water resistant, so everything will stay dry.
Pedals
The rental bikes come with regular pedals, so no click-in/SPD pedals.
Quickrelease
All our bikes come with a quick release system, which makes it very easy to adjust the height of the saddle and the handle bars.
Repairkit
There is one small puncture kit included, which can be found in the pannier. In case a rental bike has another problem, we always advise you to go to a bike repair shop or call the bike breakdown emergency number which is provided in the travel documents when you book this extra service.
Saddle
Saddles can be adjusted in height without using any tools, see ‘Quick Release’.
Our saddles don’t come with a gel cover.
Waterbottles
Dutch Biketours does not provide water bottles. We can also not guarantee that there are bottle holders on the bikes. You will always receive 1x pannier, so you can always store your water bottle in your pannier.
We have a limited amount of tandem bikes available on request.
Tandem bikes are suitable for two adults only.
The tandem bikes have a frame size of 48 cm.
We mostly use the Victoria Spezial 8.7.
This tandem bike comes with 24-derailleur gears or nuvinci gears.
The height of the handle bars on a tandem bike cannot be adjusted.
We have limited family tandem bikes available on request.
The family tandems have 7-gears and can be used for one adult and one child with a minimum body height of 125 cm.
A tag-along bike is a good option for children between approx. 100 cm and 125 cm, as they can pedal themselves and on their own pace but don’t have to worry about other traffic.
Child trailers can be rented for a maximum of two children who are up to 100 cm (max. 35 KG in total).
We mostly use the XLC Duo 2 child trailer.
Child trailers are not possible in combination with e-bikes.
Mile after wonderful mile of untroubled cycling is what we would wish our clients. However there is a minimal chance of breakdown along the way. If this thought is a nagging worry to you, a Bicycle Breakdown Assistance insurance policy may ease your mind. If you buy this insurance from our partner ANWB pechhulp in advance, their service is as follows. The costs are €4,- per bicycle per day. If your bike breaks down by the roadside an ANWB bicycle repair man will drive to you in his repair van and fix your bike so you can continue your tour. You won’t have to pay him repair costs. If you are cycling on your own bicycle you will be charged for any new spare parts your bike may require. If you are renting a bicycle through Dutch Bike Tours any new parts are at our expense. If it turns out the bicycle cannot be repaired on the spot, or if you can't continue cycling, the repairman can drop you off somewhere in his van. One companion plus bikes may join you in the van.
Do you wish to insure your bike against theft? The cost is € 3,- per day per standard hybrid bicycle.
For an electric bicycle, premium bike or racing bike: € 6,00 per day per bicycle.
Please see the General Terms and Conditions for Bicycle Hire and Insurance.
If a rental bike gets stolen or damaged, we will hold the client responsible.
If your insurance does not cover this event, you will have to pay the costs yourself.
Article 1 Bike Rental Price
The bike rental price is determined by the rates mentioned on the Dutch Bike Tours website at the time of the booking; or as subsequently agreed.
Article 2 Payment
a. The rental price and any other due sums regarding the rental agreement must be paid before the bike is handed over to you.
b. If, for whatever reason, you cannot make use of the bike(s) you have rented, Dutch Bike Tours will not be held responsible for any resulting expenses or damage.
c. In the case of the article 2b, the client remains obliged to pay the full rental price and any other amounts mentioned in the invoice, in accordance with our General Terms and Conditions of Booking, unless the client can prove that his not being able to use the bike was the consequence of a defect that was already present at the beginning of the rental period.
Article 3 Rental Period
a. The rental period runs from the morning of the first cycling day (day 2) to the end of the holiday (the departure day), as stated in the booking confirmation.
b. Extension of the rental period is possible only after approval by us and according to the (extension) rates as mentioned in article 1.
c. No refunds are possible after the rental period begins. If you return the bike(s) to us before the end of your holiday, the rental agreement will automatically be terminated and you will not get any of your money back.
d. At the end of the last cycling day of your holiday, the bike(s) must be returned to the hotel from where it was/they were issued, no later than the time stated in the booking confirmation.
If you book a one way tour tour you can leave the bike at the last hotel of the trip.
e. If the bike(s) is /are not returned by the return time stated in the booking confirmation, we will continue to charge you rent until such time as the bike(s) is/are returned to us or is/are received by us. In the event of late return, the rates as mentioned in article 1 will continue to apply, plus a fine of €25 per day. We also reserve the right to demand payment for any costs and/or damages suffered by us due to late return of our rental bike(s).
f. Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, in the event of late return of our rental bikes, we reserve the right to dissolve the rental agreement without judicial intervention and immediately claim back our bicycles where ever they may be and from whomever has them. Dutch Bike Tours also holds this right in the event that the client does not comply with any of the other conditions stated in this rental agreement.
Article 4 Improper Use
a. The bicycle(s) may only be used for its/their intended purpose and only by the cyclists listed in the rental agreement.
b. The bike(s) must be returned to us in the same (clean!) state in which you received it/them.
c. You must take excellent care of the bicycle(s), as if it/they were your own. You must take every precaution against damage, loss or theft.
d. The bicycle may not be used on the beach; or on sandy paths in the dunes unless a paved path is unavailable.
Article 5 Damage, Loss and Theft
The renter will be held responsible for damages to or loss of the bicycle(s) or parts of it, as well as bicycle keys and chains and locks, for such an amount as is determined by us according to standard market prices. You must understand that you are not insured for damage to the bicycle(s) or for any damages to third parties.
Article 6 Theft Insurance
It is possible to purchase Bicycle Theft Insurance. Covered are: damages arising out of the theft of the bicycle; and damages to the bicycle as a consequence of the theft. Not covered are: theft of bicycle parts; and damages arising out of attempted theft.
Article 7 Theft Insurance Premium
a. The premium for Bicycle Theft Insurance is € 3,00 per day per standard hybrid bicycle. For an electric bicycle € 6,00 per day as well for a Premium bike and racing bike.
The number of insurance days is the same as the number of cycling days as stated in our booking confirmation.
Article 8 Liability in the Event of Theft
a. If you did not purchase Bicycle Theft Insurance from us before the start of the holiday, you will be held fully accountable for the sum determined by us according to standard prices.
b. If you did purchase Bicycle Theft Insurance from us, but you failed to lock the wheel lock and failed to produce the original wheel lock key and failed to produce an official theft report drawn up by the police, you will still be held fully accountable for the sum determined by us according to standard prices.
Article 9 Costs During the Rental Period
Any charges and taxes regarding the rental bicycle(s), such as fines and ferry tickets, are to be paid by you. You will also be required to pay all costs ensuing from the use of the bicycle(s) such as parking fees, maintenance and repairs.
5 Nights included
4 Star Hotel
Tourist tax included
Breakfast included
Detailed roadbooks with maps and tourist information
The possibility of renting our bikes
7-days a week service-hotline
Putten
Parking possibilities at the hotel
GPS-tracks availible
Any ferry crossings are not included
Nearest Airports nare Flughafen Düsseldorf (DUS) or Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
The train from Schiphol to Apeldoorn departs 2 times per hour. Travel time is about 1,5 hour. A single tickets costs approx €20,- per person excl. Bicycle.
For timetables and tickets, go to https://www.ns.nl/en. From Apeldoorn trainstation you need to take the bus to Garderen. This will take about 30 minutes and costs about €4,50 per person. No Bicycles allowd on busses. For timetables and tickets: www.9292.nl/en.
26-09-2024
This was a wonderful holiday from start to finish. Dutch Bike Tours made the whole trip very easy by planning all the routes for us and they chose great off-road paths for each cycle. We tried a Knuup Pont route on our own but ended up on bike paths that weren’t as pretty as those chosen by DBT so we quickly went back to the DBT recommendations. The paperwork provided was easy to follow and the whole trip was great value for money - cheaper than doing it yourself! I would highly recommend DBT and will definitely use them for my next holiday. Thank you DBT for making our holiday so stress-free.
16-07-2024
Our first experience of cycling in the Netherlands - I was amazed how comfortable the Dutch bikes are and although I knew it was a cycling-friendly country actually experiencing that was wonderful. Well signposted and maintained routes through some lovely countryside. In the towns and villages drivers are very aware and considerate towards cyclists. It was also very easy to travel to our hotel from Schiphol by train and bus. A very enjoyable adventure for my teenage son and I.
24-04-2024
We especially enjoyed the Roundtour South and the Roundtour East (through the forest on the way to Hoog Soeren).
23-09-2018
...Room quality excellent. Pool an appreciated extra. This area is surprisingly quiet and cycling tracks are excellent. Much enjoyed out trip to the Netherlands again. This particular tour was a repeat...
08-09-2018
...The level of comfort, quality of food and friendliness of staff were excellent. The visit to the Kruellermueller Museum and park on a non cycling day was excellent and well worth a visit...
08-06-2016
...Thanks for your e-mail. We had a great week. We enjoyed the cycling very much. The hotel was very good. The bicycle were very comfortable and the front bag with the place for the map was a very useful. The Knooppunt system proved to be very very good and easy for navigating the route...
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Cycling over the Veluwe
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Celsiusweg 12/12A
6662 PX Elst
Nederland
info@dutch-biketours.com
+31(0)24 324 47 12
