Cross the Veluwe from Hierden

This route takes you from picturesque Hierden (near Harderwijk) through the Veluwe and the Gelderse Valley. A wonderfully varied route in which you also see sights such as De Essenburgh Castle.

Nice picnic
In Hierden you will see some beautiful centuries-old regional farms on the Zuiderzeestraatweg. A nice start to your route. A little later you drive onto the Veluwe. You drive through the Leuvenumse Bos where you can immerse yourself in the silence and the fresh forest air. In Ermelo you cycle past De Koe, a thatched corn mill from 1863.

Speulderbos
In Putten you pass the Het Hert flour mill from 1899. Just outside the village you pass the Schovenhorst estate, which was founded in 1848. You can visit some special gardens here, including the oldest conifer garden in the Netherlands. There is also a forty-meter-high forest tower that offers you a beautiful view. On your way back through the Veluwe you drive through the famous Speulderbos, a true experience.

De Essenburgh Castle
At the end of your route you will pass De Essenburgh castle and estate. The castle was built in the seventeenth century on behalf of Johan Coolwagen. This noble lord wanted to acquire a place within the Knighthood of Veluwe with this prestigious status symbol. When this failed, he had to sell the castle to his creditors.