Hike the Netherlands – Plaggenstekerspad
This is a short Hike in the Netherlands in the little village Hoenderloo. Hoenderloo is a popular vacation destination on the Veluwe in the province of Gelderland. The town grows every summer because of the many visitors to the vacation parks and National park the Hoge Veluwe. Which is connected to the town for easy access. The Plaggenstekerspad is a 12 KM hike around the town and the surrounding countryside. And can be enjoyed for a short hike.
Like many popular hikes in the Netherlands this belongs to the Klompenpaden or clog paths. You can find all the Klompenpaden in the Netherlands on the following site.
I started the walk when it was still winter and I jumped on the trail near the vacation park Landal Miggelenberg. As this is a Klompenpad the trail is a roundtrip that takes you back where you started. The trail also walks along a short hike called the Kabouterpad which is a trail maintained by the Landal vacation park itself. That path is fun for kids as well.
The Heath field in Hoenderloo
First thing you notice is the Heideveld or Heath field where you will need to walk a bit uphill. The views from here especially on the sunrise or sunset are very pretty. When you get here early on in the morning or late in the afternoon the chance to see wildlife here is also great. Lots of deer and birds venture out here. So bring your camera!
The Village Hoenderloo
After the heath field you get to the village where you cross over a couple of campgrounds and through the forests. The trail markers are easy to follow and are on lampposts and easy markers. After you have done a couple of the klompenpaden or clog paths in the Netherlands you will get to spot them pretty quickly.
The Hoenderloo Group and Vitens
As the route continues you will get taken across the noteworthy sites along the Hoenderloo Group. Which is a organisation to help troubled kids nowadays. You get to see all the remaining old buildings and cross the historic sites.
Its a nice walk to take when you want to have a nice day activity, grab yourself one of Ijs van Co’s nice ice creams and the day is worth it. Gear that you need to bring is a nice pair of shoes like the Meindl Sahara boots and a water bottle. The rest you really do not need on the Plaggenstekerspad in Hoenderloo.
Download links for the trail are available on the link, but not really necessary as the way is clearly marked along the whole way.
Frank
I'm Frank, the main guy and owner of this website. Loves hiking, gear and bushcraft. And can get quite nerdy about them. In the woods several times a week preparing for my next hike. Always searching for another hill, which is quite difficult in the Netherlands. That's why I search around several countries. More about me on the about page.
