Arrival in Doetinchem. Doetinchem is the bustling centre of a remote and sparsely populated region in the Netherlands known as Achterhoek. It’s a pleasant town known for its good assortment of shops offering accessories for the home, fashion, delicatessen, toys etc. 

After eating your fill at the breakfast buffet, you will mount your bikes and set off on your first day’s cycling. Beautiful Montferland nature reserve is a promise of deciduous woods and gentle hills. Please be aware that not all of the Netherlands is flat. If you book this holiday you will encounter some undulating terrain. Picturesque villages lie hidden in the woods. In summer, fields of wild flowers are fringed by hedgerows teeming with small wildlife. The town of ’s Heerenberg is very old and will entice you on a walk of exploration. The earthen wall surrounding the old town centre (Muntwal) is still visible near Kasteel Huis Bergh. This moated castle, over five hundred years old, is open to the public and boasts a collection of medieval paintings, coins, manuscripts and arms. The grounds, called Plantage, also merit a visit.

You can also choose to cycle a longer route of 49 km, which will take you to Germany. This route has an extra loop from Stokkum to Elten and the 'Elter hill', from which you will have an beautiful view of the Rhinebridge and valley near Emmerich. 

You will start off following a quiet bike track on the banks of the River Oude IJssel. Outside hamlet Laag-Keppel stand a watermill and a Frisian polder mill. They used to belong to the estate dominated by splendid Keppel Castle. You can catch a glimpse of it through the trees. It’s one of the biggest castles in the Achterhoek region. Next you will reach our cultural highlight of the day: the hanseatic town of Doesburg. In the 13th-17th centuries, 150 merchant guilds across northern Europe were united in the Hanseatic League, a trading alliance. Their main aim was to ensure safe passage for travelling merchants. They also helped each other with information, knowledge and contacts. This network generated income, allowing merchants to invest in culture and architecture which explains why Hansa towns, centuries on, are so attractive to tourists. The River IJssel, which emptied into Zuiderzee sea, counted seven Hansa towns on its banks. Completely surrounded by water, lovingly renovated Doesburg is a picturesque place to spend an unforgettable afternoon. Sights abound: the mustard factory museum, the old town hall, the old weighing house, the Rene Lalique glass museum, and much more! Hansa festivities recur in June. After Doesburg you follow the beautiful IJssel valley to the picturesque town of Bronkhorst, the smallest town in the Netherlands that still has a medieval atmosphere.

Via the charming village of Hoog Keppel and the Kruisbergsche forest you cycle back to Doetinchem.

Against a backdrop of ever-changing natural scenery, your day will start by passing through the small village of Zelham. Cycle further through a lovely landscape of meadows, fields, forest areas and estates, interspersed with small towns. The farmland and woodland will never cease to delight you. The village of Hengelo is a nice village for a coffee break. As the sun sets in the evening, put your feet up in your comfortable hotel in Doetinchem. 

An alternative, longer route, will take you to Vorden, a village surrounded by beautiful estates, forest and known for Vorden Castle. This route is 56 km in total.  

It’s open countryside all the way. Lush pastures, tidy cropfields, charming old farmhouses with colourful country gardens will have you smiling with pleasure. Your pit stops for the day are the villages of Terborg on the River Oude IJssel and Ulft, near the German border. Via the forest at estate Slangenburg you will cycle back to Doetinchem.

Today you also have an option for a longer route, which will take you via the Landfort estate to the Castle and Museum Anholt, just across the border in Germany. This is a route of 65 km. 

After breakfast, it’s time to go home.