Along the Lower Rhine between Amerongen and Rhenen

You will see the best of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug during this cycling tour. Both the Amerongse and the Zuylesteinse Bos still exude an atmosphere of old estates. Forests are intersected by long avenues. In these forests you will find the pine marten, the bat but also many special ground beetles. Various plant species give this part of the sand ridge a varied appearance. The Amerongse Bos is located on a 69 meter high mountain and is one of the oldest pieces of forest in the Utrechtse Heuvelrug. You park your car at Cafe Restaurant Hotel De Buitenlust. This is how you start the tour over the southernmost part of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug and you cycle to De Burgwal, located on the edge of Amerongen. Three sheepfolds have been built here close to each other. A sheepfold is a kind of stable and served as shelter for sheep that grazed through the heath. In the past, heather sods were used in a sheepfold, which eventually turned into very fertile farmyard manure. A sheepfold, for example, was multifunctional. The fields were raised by using manure. These fields were eventually called essen, or narrow. Most sheepfolds have an authentic look and the bleating inhabitants are often a rewarding sight to watch. These sheepfolds are therefore a nice tourist attraction. On the south side of Amerongen is Amerongen Castle, which has existed since 1286. On July 20 of that year, Floris van Holland declares that Henric and Diederic Borre van Amerongen will be his men on loan to build the original house. Over the years, the castle has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. The current castle was built in the Dutch-Classical style, which was common for that time. Originally it was a fief and later it was used as a country residence and as a show house for noble families. A thorough restoration took place from 2002 to 2011. After your bike ride, you will return to Cafe Restaurant Hotel De Buitenlust, where you can enjoy a snack and a drink. You can take a seat in the friendly café or on the cozy terrace, where you can catch the last rays of the day. In addition to the dishes from the menu, you can also order a daily special, which will taste even better with a cold beer or a good glass of wine. If you really want to get away from it all, you can book an overnight stay at the hotel and make use of the package deal with route 148526.