Tour of Amerongen

The starting point for this bike tour is Cafe Restaurant Hotel De Buitenlust, a cozy establishment in picturesque Amerongen. This small village is located at the foot of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park and has some steep streets here and there. The Utrechtse Heuvelrug largely consists of a moraine, created in the Ice Age, which reaches heights of around 60 meters above sea level. But the national park also has heathlands, drifting sands and floodplains. After the Veluwe, the Heuvelrug is the largest forest area in the Netherlands. The first part of the cycle tour goes from Amerongen to Overberg straight through the forest and is quite challenging due to the height differences.

After you pass under the A12 highway and over the railway, you cycle past remnants of the Grebbe Line, an old defense structure that dates back to around 1700 and served to defend the Gelderse Vallei. It served until the Second World War. A few years ago, the line was thoroughly restored and a complete educational route was created. The Battery on the Schalmdijk, just past the hamlet of Emminkhuizen, is an earthen defense structure in the Grebbe Line, surrounded by wet canals.

The Fort on the Buursteeg, located a little further away, is one of the largest and most important defense works of the Grebbe Line. It was constructed in 1786 at the place where the Buursteeg and the Slaperdijk crossed each other. Due to the size of the fort, several hundred soldiers could camp within the ramparts. It provided space for soldiers in the 1794-\\\'95 war against the French, was on the front line during the May days of 1940 and was a German support point when the Allies approached from Ede.

You pass under the A12 again and cycle in Veenendaal past the two tower mills De Vriendschap and the Nieuwe Molen. The latter grinds flour for sale to consumers. Via the outskirts of Veenendaal you arrive south of this town at the Prattenburg estate. The estate consists largely of forest with some small fens and heathlands. On the estate there is a house built in 1887 with a castle-like appearance surrounded by a landscape-style garden.

Then you have to climb again on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug before you can descend again towards the Nederrijn. At Elst you take the ferry that takes you to the other side of the water where the Betuwe is located. In the floodplains near Ingen are the remains of Geldersweert Castle, a fortified house of the Dukes of Gelre. The castle was demolished in the early 19th century. The name Geldersweert has been kept alive since 2003 by the name of the Ingen-Elst ferry. Via the Rijnbanddijk with a view of the floodplains on one side and the Betuwe on the other, you cycle to the next ferry that takes you back to Amerongen.

There you pass Amerongen Castle, which has been beautifully restored and fits in with Muiderslot and Slot Loevenstein. You can visit the castle and view the changing exhibitions. There are regular concerts and festivals at the castle. The beautiful garden of about ten hectares is also worth a visit. So if you still have time, at the end of the bike tour, Amerongen Castle is highly recommended!