See more on long-distance walks
Those who take their time see more, and with each unhurried step you take in the Netherlands, you can discover something new. The Netherlands is an ideal hiking country, with thousands of miles of well-marked routes on trails through beautiful scenery.
A good hike gives you the freedom to go wherever you want. Stroll peacefully by 18th-century canal houses, take a breath of fresh air in vast polders, take on a challenging forest path, or travel across a farmyard. The first signposted walking route — a hefty trek from Arnhem to Amsterdam — was created in 1914. Nowadays, you will now find beautiful, signposted walks in almost every corner of the country.
Excellent hiking trails, easy planning
The Netherlands is equipped with an extensive network of interconnected walking routes. Its crossroads and junctions are numbered throughout the country and signs indiacte the best way to reach the next junction. Mapping out a route is easy with Wandelroutenetwerk.nl or its apps, which will always send you via the most interesting paths. You can 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 in the Netherlands. These routes exceed 90 miles and are divided into several stages, all well-signposted the whole way. Some trails run the entire width or length of the country.
The Pieterpad
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 southernmost point of the country in Limburg. The Pieterpad was created 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 leave behind the unique Wadden coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, vast polders slowly give way to dense forests, wide meandering rivers, and eventually the rolling Limburg hills. Along the way, you can stop for a rest and enjoy many historical towns and charming villages.
The Pieterpad extends over 300 miles 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. Comprehensive guides, clear route markings enroute, and the reliable Pieterpad website all provide valuable information for accommodation and public transport.
Lace up your walking shoes and get ready to see the Netherlands as never before!
