The Netherlands turns purple – 15 walks across the flowering heathlands
Hiking Collection by Marieke Duchatteau
15
Tours
48:02 h
116 mi
3,175 ft
Whether purple is your favourite colour or not, these 15 walks across the flowering heathland are not to be missed. As nature changes with the seasons, the landscapes on these walks promise to be a true spectacle.
The walks are beautiful all year round. There’s lots of beauty to see along the way, not just the blooming heather. From unique moors in Drenthe to the hills of Limburg and from Veluwe's Big Five to butterflies in Overijssel, each walk will surprise you in its own way.
The end of each Tour description indicates when the heath is in bloom in that area. Please note that this may vary slightly from year to year. In general, however, August and early September are the best times to see the purple heather.
All routes are circular and start and end at a car park. You can also reach most of the hikes by public transport, although some are easier than others. Further details can be found in the route descriptions.
Wear good walking shoes, preferably waterproof, as in some places, especially moorland, the ground can be very marshy. On hot, sunny days, apply plenty of suncream and make sure your head is covered. You won’t find much shade on the long stretches of moorland.
Make sure you have enough water and snacks for the road. Usually, the walks do start and end at a restaurant, but you won’t always come across places to eat on the kilometres in between.
I wish you plenty of colourful walks!
On The Map
Tours
- 04:3711.3 mi2.4 mph175 ft175 ftIntermediateIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
Today you walk more than 18 kilometers through a very unique piece of nature, because the heathland in Dwingelderveld National Park is the wettest high moorland in Europe! Along the way you walk through quiet areas of forest, where the trees make way for fens and lakes here and there.
Start the day with…
- 04:079.54 mi2.3 mph575 ft575 ftIntermediateIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Are you ready for a 15.5 kilometer walk through the Veluwezoom National Park? In addition to breathtaking heathland, there are also other highlights on the program today.
The walk starts royally with a visit to Rosendael Castle, which you reach through the beautiful park forest of Koningsberg. Not only…
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- 01:293.61 mi2.4 mph75 ft75 ftEasyEasy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
Today's route is easy to do with just under 6 kilometers. You will be surprised how much beauty you encounter on this relatively short trip. If there are two words that summarize the walk on the Overijsselse Sprengenberg, they are 'colorful' and 'sloping'. That is promising!
Not only is it bursting with…
- 04:2410.7 mi2.4 mph200 ft200 ftIntermediateIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Today you will go in search of the heath in the middle of one of the largest sand drifts in Western Europe. You have more than 17 kilometers to do so. Be surprised by the forests, heaths and sand plains of the Loonse and Drunense Duinen. Naturally, a walk starts over such a large sand drift in the sand…
- 04:3110.9 mi2.4 mph250 ft250 ftIntermediateIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
The Deelerwoud is located between the Hoge Veluwe and the Veluwezoom. And where most hikers head for these nearby areas, today you will cross the heathland of the Deelerwoud. The big advantage? It is generally wonderfully quiet here, so that you can enjoy more than 17.5 kilometers of purple heather in…
- 03:358.75 mi2.4 mph150 ft150 ftIntermediateIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Today there is a walk of more than 14 kilometers on the schedule in the Grote Veld in Gelderland. Although the name may suggest otherwise, the heaths you encounter are often subtle. You mainly pass through beautiful forests, which, in addition to pieces of heath, occasionally give way to beautiful estates…
- 02:336.07 mi2.4 mph250 ft250 ftIntermediateIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
Today's route is very varied and you should therefore not expect to walk continuously over vast moors. Of course you will walk along purple colored pieces for 10 kilometers, but the Kaapse Bossen are so varied that you don't want to miss the other highlights.
There are several striking trees in the woods…
- 03:017.38 mi2.4 mph125 ft125 ftIntermediateIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
This 12 kilometer long walk leads you through the varied nature of the Mantingerveld. Forests, fens, heathland and sand drifts alternate.
Don't forget your swimming gear when the weather is nice, because after 7 kilometers you can swim in a lovely pond. Fishing is also possible here, if you want to take…
- 04:1410.3 mi2.4 mph150 ft150 ftIntermediateIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
For today's route you travel to the far north of Drenthe, where the Fochteloërveen awaits you. During this circular walk of more than 16.5 kilometers you will pass Highlights full of art and culture and you will stroll through the peat.
The day starts with a visit to orphanage Veenhuizen, where orphans…
- 01:484.42 mi2.5 mph50 ft50 ftEasyEasy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
During this 7-kilometer circular walk through De Kampina you will discover how versatile North Brabant is. In addition to heaths, you will also pass through forests and numerous fens.
The settlement of Balsvoort is first mentioned in 1312. Three farms were built here in the following years. Here in the…
- 03:348.36 mi2.3 mph425 ft425 ftIntermediateIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Today you descend to the south of the country for a 13.5 kilometer trip across the Brunssummerheide in South Limburg. Walk through fragrant coniferous forests, stroll across endless sand plains and be surrounded by purple fields: this promises to be a versatile walk.
Right at the start of the route you…
- 03:529.05 mi2.3 mph500 ft500 ftIntermediateIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
The circular walk of almost 15 kilometers over the Mookerheide in Limburg is varied and hilly. You follow the winding paths through the rolling landscape, which lead you to the most beautiful viewpoints every time.
The route immediately starts well with a beautiful path that winds around Sint-Jansberg…
- 02:376.42 mi2.4 mph75 ft75 ftIntermediateIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Do you already feel the jitters? Then you can be right, because with a bit of luck your trip today is bursting with butterflies. Buurserzand in Overijssel is known for its great diversity of special butterflies. If you are unlucky and don't meet the butterflies, don't worry: the varied landscape provides…
- 01:594.79 mi2.4 mph125 ft125 ftEasyEasy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
No heathland walk from this Collection is as exciting as this trip through the Planken Wambuis nature park. The rugged nature and the possibility of spotting the Big Five of the Veluwe make this the ideal environment for a safari in your own country. You have just under 8 kilometers to discover the red…
- 01:384.00 mi2.4 mph50 ft50 ftEasyEasy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
Today's route runs 6.5 kilometers through the Heumensoord nature reserve, close to Nijmegen. However, you would not think that you are so close to the city when you stroll through the quiet forest and quiet moors. Due to the length and activities along the way, the trip is an adventure for young and…
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Collection Stats
- Tours15
- Distance116 mi
- Duration48:02 h
- Elevation3,175 ft
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