Route with royal allure

This cycle route of more than forty kilometres takes you between Hilversum, Soest and Baarn over the Vuursche and Westerheide. This gently rolling nature reserve was formed during the ice ages. This area has been heavily inhabited throughout history. Many camps, ban fences, dead ends, urn fields and burial mounds characterise the area, which has also been heavily inhabited throughout history. At Eethuis-Café De Generaal you can get ready for the cycle tour. The monumental path served as a station for many years and the royal family even had its own waiting room here. De Generaal is now a cosy establishment, where you can enjoy a cup of coffee before starting the route. Then you can get on your bike, feeling refreshed, to cycle through nature to the first attraction: De Hooge Vuursche castle. De Hooge Vuursche was built in 1912 by order of the merchant navy officer Johannes Adrianus van den Bosch and his wife Baroness van Hardenbroek. The castle was designed by architect Eduard Cuypers, who also designed the station in 's-Hertogenbosch. In 1939, the castle was used as a hotel-restaurant, but a fire damaged the building in January 1940. Shortly after a restoration and the Second World War, De Hoge Vuursche accommodated many high-ranking guests of the Royal Family. In 1975, the castle was sold to Heineken. At that time, it served as a so-called safe house for the now deceased Freddy Heineken. Since 2006, the castle has been owned by the Event Company and events are once again organised there. Drakenstein Castle and Estate are located near the municipality of Baarn. The octagonal house, which dates from 1640, was recognised as a knight's court. The knight who lived in the house had a church with a rectory built in the village of Lage Vuursche, which was founded at that time, as well as a school, a mill and an inn. In 1780, a renovation took place during which the Ionic columns of the house were removed. The castle was owned by the knight's family for over 150 years, but fell into disrepair in the mid-twentieth century. In 2006 it was announced that the house would be renovated. The house and estate are not open to the public, because they are privately owned. There are many beautiful country estates on the edge of the Gooi, but Rustenhoven is one of the most beautiful. The beautiful country house was built around 1757 by order of the bailiff of Maartensdijk. The front part, from the 18th century, was built according to a mixture of Dutch Classicism and the Louis XV style. The middle part dates from the nineteenth century.