Tour through the center of Holland, quiet and green (120km)

This 120km tour leads you through the center of Holland. The varied tour runs through the forest, on dikes, crosses rivers, and passes through old village centers and fruit tree fields. The surrounding is very tranquil.

The track starts in Odijk, a town next to highway A12. You pass through the provinces of Utrecht and Gelderen.

The center of Holland is a beautiful and diverse area. The only disadvantage is that there are fewer water dispensers than in other areas. Make sure to grab one if you need it.

GPX file: 7_CH&b_120km

All practical information is at the end of this post.

Let's tour through the center of Holland

Parking

Just some hundred meters off highway A12 is the starting point. The parking area of the sports park in Odijk.

You leave the parking in the southern direction. Soon after, you enter the first tranquil path. At the end of this, you encounter a couple of hundred meters of unpaved road. I decided to leave these meters in as the track leading to this is so lovely. However, if you don’t want it, just stay on the main road (a wide cycling path next to a road) and don’t turn left after km 3 when the GPX tells you so.

At km 11, it gets a bit tricky. You need to find the path to cross a bridge. You need to turn slightly right into a narrow cycling track which is hard to see when cycling by quickly.

Make sure to rely on the gpx file, then you will be ok.

First dike and ferry over river Lek

Shortly after crossing the bridge, you enter the first dike of the day. It will surely not be the last. Cycling on the dam of the river Lek gives you an excellent first impression of the area, but there is much more to come.

At km 16 you have to cross the river by using a ferry. The ferry rides continuously, so the waiting time is a maximum of a few minutes. The ride costs 1 Euro including your bike, and it takes less than 5 minutes to arrive on the other side.

While crossing the river, you also cross the border of the two provinces.

Through lovely towns and fruit fields

During the next phase of the tour through the center of Holland, you see the diversity of the trail pretty well. You pass through some tiny villages, all tranquil and with lovely city centers/main streets. You come across very old houses.

Actually, there could be a picture from each village in this post as they are all lovely.

But the track also shows the difference from other Dutch regions. While you often see cows, sheep, and large open fields in other areas, you cycle along this region’s corn and fruit tree fields.

You pass by a couple of fruit processing companies. The region’s product pride is also reflected in this roundabout below.

At km 45, you pass through the outer parts of Beesd. Usually, the lovely aspects of a town are in the city center. Here in Beesd, you find the old center on the rim of the town.

Cycling over cobblestones, you arrive at the underpass for highway A2.

Shortly after, you arrive in Enspijk, where you find the first water dispenser of the day. It is located on a lovely shady square. You see the dispenser on the right next to my bike.

Continuing the tour through the center of Holland, the following 10 km lead you through some more little villages. Between those, you see open fields and fruit fields.

In Geldermalsen, you could top up your water bottle again. It is located at the large roundabout you pass when entering the town. You leave the roundabout on the third street. The dispenser is located between the second and third street.

Geldermalsen is also the largest town you pass through today. But it only takes about one kilometer, and you are out of it again.

Up to km 77, the track leads through many open fields and very tranquil areas.

You then cross the Amsterdam Rijnkanal. You do that by crossing a bridge which gives you a fantastic view of a large sluice.

Right after, the tour through the center of Holland continues on a dike. You stay on this one for 9km. Some lovely views await you. You also pass by several vacation home parks and a yacht harbor.

You turn left to get on another ferry at the dike ride’s end. This one is also 1 Euro and crosses the Nederrijn. Here you enter the province of Utrecht again.

Enter a forest area (and a surpise awaits you)

Shortly after the arrival on the other side of the river, the environment changes.

Although the whole tour leads you along alleys and trees, it enters a forest area.

Before doing so, you can see a lovely mansion. It is just an example of what you will see later in this tour.

While cycling through Amerongen, you will feel a slight increase in the street. Yes, it is a hill! Ok, it’s not a large one, but it has a maximum percentage of 6%.

In the middle of this hill is the next water dispenser. It’s on the left side of the street at an MTB trail. You can see it in the picture. It is the green stick behind my bike.

The mansion and castle part of the tour through the center of Holland

After a pleasant ride downhill, you cycle the forest and arrive at a lovely Landgoed Broekhuizen (Landgoed = manion), at km 103. Behind the fence, you also find the last water dispenser of the day. The estate is in a park so you can also take a walk there.

This mansion rings in the last 20km, leading you to yet another scenery.

Within 10 km, there are many beautiful mansions and ancient buildings to admire. You will love this part of the tour if you like such views. However, they are privately owned, so you cannot visit them.

A charming one you can see from afar but pass by more closely when cycling through Sandenburg.

From here, the return to the parking is pretty straightforward, but with a lot to see. Some more mansions and old buildings come along your way.

Practical Information for the tour through the center of Holland

Parking: Odijk next to sports park (adress: Singelpark 1, 3984 NC Odijk)

Water dispenser: Enspijk (km 48), Gerldermalsen (km 55), outside Amerongen at MTB route (km 89), Landgoed Broekhuizen (km 103)

A tree-rich and quiet tour through the center of Holland (120km)

Let's tour through the center of Holland

Parking

First dike and ferry over river Lek

Through lovely towns and fruit fields

Enter a forest area (and a surpise awaits you)

The mansion and castle part of the tour through the center of Holland

Practical Information for the tour through the center of Holland

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