One of the great things about our house is that you can hop straight onto the Zandenwoud mountain bike route. Starting point Varenna is literally around the corner, on the Woeste Hoefweg. So there's no need to drive somewhere first — just grab the bike and go.
The Zandenwoud route, also known as the Apeldoorn MTB route, was created by Staatsbosbeheer in collaboration with local mountain bike clubs Bar-End and De Adelaar. The route is 51 kilometres long, has around 428 metres of elevation and takes you through a varied landscape of extensive forests, the beautiful heathland of Hoog Buurlo and the area around Radio Kootwijk and Hoenderloo.
The loops
The beauty of this route is that you don't necessarily have to ride the full 51 kilometres. The route consists of three loops that you can ride individually or combined:
Loop A (22 km) — Starts at 't Leesten and takes you along winding paths and fun little climbs through the forest. We found this a nice warm-up with plenty of variety.
Loop B (23 km) — Runs across the heathland at Hoog Buurlo and Radio Kootwijk. We found this the most beautiful section: the singletracks alternate between heath and forest, over different surfaces. Really varied.
Loop C (14 km) — The shortest loop, ideal if you just want a nice ride without making a whole day of it. The section through the Bruggelerbos has lovely singletracks and a fun descent.
You can also combine them: loop A+B (37 km), loop B+C (36 km), or of course everything together (51 km). This way you can choose a different combination each time.
Got younger kids joining? In Hoenderloo there's also a 4 km MTB kids route designed especially for the youngest adventurers. The route is marked with orange foxes and features fun climbing and scrambling obstacles along the way.
What to expect
The route isn't very technical, but offers enough variety to keep things interesting. We rode across wide sandy paths, singletracks through the forest, and open heathland stretches. There are some fun little climbs and in dry weather the sand can be quite soft — that's part of the Veluwe experience.
The surroundings make it special: you cycle through areas where red deer, roe deer, wild boar and badgers roam. On the heathland of Hoog Buurlo, a flock of around 200 Veluwe heath sheep grazes. We regularly came across animal tracks along the way.
Practical information
The route is marked with posts featuring a black MTB sign (triangle with two circles). The riding direction is anti-clockwise. We recommend also downloading a GPX track, as the signposting can be a bit unclear at some junctions.
Along the way there are plenty of places to stop for food and drinks. At starting point 't Leesten in Ugchelen there's a cosy forest pavilion with a terrace — perfect for a coffee before or after your ride. Towards Radio Kootwijk you can pop into Pannenkoeken Restaurant Kootwijkerduin. And in Hoenderloo itself there's De Smaak van Hoenderloo for a sharing platter on the terrace, or 't Pannekoekhuis Hoenderloo if you fancy pancakes (with a playground for the kids).
Tip: Download the route brochure from Staatsbosbeheer (PDF) for a handy overview of all loops and starting points. On MTBroutes.nl you'll find GPS tracks and experiences from other cyclists. And for an overview of the best MTB routes on the Veluwe, check out Komoot.
After a solid ride, we love coming back to the house. Hose down the bike (there's an outdoor tap), take a shower, and then unwind on the terrace or by the fireplace. That's what makes the combination of mountain biking and a holiday on the Veluwe so great for us.