Cycling in the Achterhoek
If you're visiting the Achterhoek and would like to take in the stunning landscapes it has to offer, try exploring the region by bike.
- For General information on cycling as well as cycling on other continents see cycling.
Understand
The Netherlands has a high number of bikes per citizen and the Achterhoek is no exception to that. The seventeen million citizens of the Netherlands own a grand total of 19 million bikes in total, which makes it the country with the highest bike density. Don't have a bike available? Find the closest location that may lend you bikes. The local Tourist Office (VVV) will most likely be able to give you an address where you can rent bikes, and if not, some bikeshops (fietsenwinkel) will be willing to lend you a bike, while outdoor companies can lend you (mountain)bikes. If travelling from a train station to another train station, an OV-fiets may be something you'd like to consider.
Etiquette
The Achterhoek has no different etiquette for cyclists than the rest of the Netherlands. To give you a quick summary:
- Always stay on the right side of the road. If a designated bike lane (see image) is available, use that lane.
- When turning a corner, use your hand to indicate where you are planning to go. If the road consists of multiple turning lanes, move into the lane that corresponds to the way you are going.
- Always give way to other road users coming from your right or on a priority road.
- Always keep your eyes on the road. The scenery may be beautiful, but safety is still the number one priority.
- Always obey road signs and other directions given. If something has happened to disrupt the regular flow of traffic, signs or people will be there to regulate traffic.
Routes
Below are multiple cycling routes in the Achterhoek listed on the website of the Foundation National Cycling Platform(Stichting Landelijk Fietsplatform). The websites link to PDF files available on their website, ready to be printed. They are in Dutch, but visually show the cycling notes and the distance between them, alongside a map of the region with the route on it.
- 🌍 Round Harreveld (17.1 kilometers).
- 🌍 Round Doesburg (24.3 kilometers).
- 🌍 Round Beltrum (27.0 kilometers).
- 🌍 Castle and country route (30.8 kilometers).
- 🌍 Winterswijk - Groenlo (32.4 kilometers).
- 🌍 Windmill route (38.6 kilometers).
- 🌍 Vineyard route (49.2 kilometers).
- 🌍 Round the Achterhoek (283.5 kilometers).
National cycling routes
If you would like to get to your next destination or just spend more than a day cycling through the region, then LF-routes, or Longer Distance routes, may be something you would be interested in. The following LF-routes go through the Achterhoek:
- 🌍 LF3: Hanzeroute (135 kilometers) (Millingen a/d Rijn - Westervoort - Doesburg - Zutphen - Deventer).
A route passing by most of the Hanze-cities, amongst which is Zutphen. Most of the route follows the river IJssel. - 🌍 LF4: Middle-Netherlands route (300 kilometers) (The Hague - Zoetermeer - Utrecht - Arnhem - Vorden - Enschede).
A route cutting straight through the middle of the Netherlands, giving you an impression of all that it has to offer. - 🌍 LF8: Ommen - Winterswijk (100 kilometers) (Winterswijk - Borculo - Nijverdal - Ommen).
- 🌍 LF15: Farmland route (260 kilometers) (Alkmaar - Hoorn - Enkhuizen - Lelystad - Kampen - Zwolle - Hengelo - Enschede).
A route showing you all the countrysides that the Netherlands has to offer including the tulip industry in North Holland and farming in newly gained land, Flevoland. - 🌍 LF19: Deventer - Holten (35 kilometers) (Deventer - Holten).
- Rhine route (270 kilometers) (Millingen a/d Rijn - Arnhem - Rhenen - Wijk bij Duurstede - Dordrecht - Hook of Holland).
A route following the entirety of the river Rhine throughout the Netherlands. - 🌍 Round the Netherlands (1300 kilometers) (Arnhem - Vorden - Enschede - Hardenberg - Emmen - Groningen - Den Oever - Beverwijk - Haarlem - The Hague - Bergen op Zoom - Breda - Eindhoven - Roermond - Venlo - Nijmegen - Arnhem).
The ultimate route for a vacation by bike. You will get to see nearly all that the Netherlands has to offer, while staying as close to the borders as possible. - 🌍 Round Twente (180 kilometers) (Enschede - Hengelo - Rijssen - Ommen - Oldenzaal - Enschede).
A route that shows you all of Twente, located directly north of the Achterhoek.
| Keep in mind: These routes are fully customisable, so the length of the route and its starting and finishing point may vary. Use the Bike route planner to customise the route to your demands. When following a route, be sure to have a map on hand. Bike route maps can be purchased at tourism offices, and will give you way more routes to choose from. | |