Go hiking to discover the Netherlands
Those who take their time see more. With every step you take, you discover another fascinating part of the country. The Netherlands is an ideal hiking country, with thousands of kilometres of well marked routes on adventurous trails and through the most beautiful areas – you will certainly be spoilt for choice! So clear your schedule and put on some comfortable walking shoes. Because it is worth taking your time to truly get to know the Netherlands.
- Use the walking junctions to easily map out a route.
- Enjoy an energy-neutral sleep in the most beautiful places.
- Receive a royal honour.
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© Photography Jurjen Drenth -
© Drenthe Marketing -
© Marleen Annema -
© Sjoerd Bracké & Cuno de Bruin -
© Drenthe Marketing
Walk using junctions
A good hike gives you the freedom to go wherever you want. Peacefully stroll past 18th-century canal houses, take a breath of fresh air in vast polders, trudge along challenging forest paths or cross a farmyard. After the first signposted walking route was created in 1914 – a hefty trek from Arnhem to Amsterdam – you will now find beautiful signposted walks in almost every corner of the Netherlands.
The Netherlands is equipped with an extensive and finely meshed network of walking routes. The crossroads and junctions in this network are numbered throughout the country and signs point out the best way to walk to the next junction. Mapping out a route is easy when using Wandelroutenetwerk.nl (or its apps), which will always send you via the most interesting paths. You will also find some great pre-planned hiking trails, so you can get started in no time.
In addition to the junction routes, there are more than 20 long-distance walks (LAWs) in the Netherlands. These routes are longer than 150 kilometres and divided into several stages. They are all well-signposted along the entire route. Some routes run the entire width or length of the country. And although the Netherlands is not very big, it can still be a bit of a challenge to walk the hundreds of kilometres of these LAWs!
Hiking from Pieter to Pieter
The most famous long-distance walk in the Netherlands is the Pieterpad, which takes you from the village of Pieterburen at the tip of Groningen to the huge Sint Pietersberg hill at the very bottom of the country in Limburg. Or vice versa, of course. The Pieterpad was conceived in the 1970s and 1980s by two avid hikers and has since been part of every hiker’s bucket list in the Netherlands.
The route leads you across the entire country, allowing you to enjoy the slowly changing landscape along the way. Once you have left the unique Wadden coast (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) behind you, vast polders slowly give way to dense forests, wide meandering rivers and eventually the rolling Limburg hills. In between, you can stop for a rest and enjoy the many historical towns and charming villages.
The Pieterpad measures a good 500 kilometres and is divided into 26 stages that allow you to walk at your own pace. It makes use of unpaved roads as much as possible, where the only other people you’re likely to meet will be other hikers. There are comprehensive guides, clear route markings along the way, and an up-to-date website with information on accommodation and public transport.
'Walk of the world' in the Netherlands
Do you prefer to share your passion for walking with as many others as possible? Then the Netherlands is the place to be. The Nijmegen Four Day Marches is the largest multi-day walking event in the world, which has been taking place every year for over 100 years! Always starting in Nijmegen on the third Tuesday in July, over 45,000 hiking enthusiasts walk 4 stages of 30, 40 or 50 kilometres a day through Nijmegen and its green surroundings. The reward is a royal decoration: the famous Cross of the Four Day Marches.
The Nijmegen Four Day Marches are also a great experience even if you aren’t participating. The highlight of the event is when the walkers come back into the city on the final day. Crowds of celebrating spectators on the Via Gladiola shower them with bunches of gladioli as they are cheered to the finish line. The four-day event coincides with the Nijmegen Summer Festival, so you're guaranteed an incredible festive atmosphere throughout the city.
Looking for accommodation? Choose local and green
Those in a hurry do not walk. And those who walk are in no hurry. And that’s exactly the best way to explore the Netherlands. Calmly, at your own pace and with plenty of time to take in the lovely surroundings. This also applies to choosing your accommodation. Book a few extra nights, hang out with the locals, get to know the local customs and give your mind – and your feet – plenty of rest.
Thanks to the global Couchsurfing initiative, you can experience the Netherlands through the eyes of the Dutch. Thousands of locals offer their couches or guest bedrooms to visitors for an overnight stay and the exchange of experiences. Those with a bit more time on their hands can use a platform such as Workaway to stay with Dutch people in exchange for helping out with housekeeping or other chores.
Many farms also offer overnight accommodation. Across the country, farmers have converted part of their farm into a Bed & Breakfast, where weary hikers can put up their feet. There is also a wide selection of ecolodges where you can get an energy-neutral and sustainable night’s sleep in the most beautiful places - the best way to remain close to Dutch nature and get plenty of time for a good rest before putting on your walking shoes again for the next stage.