I finally went hiking on the well-known Pieterpad. I walked 10 Pieterpad daily stages as a woman alone and reached the midpoint of the trail. Loved being out on the move in the Netherlands, watching the landscape slowly change. In this post I share everything about my experience on the stages I walked.
The Pieterpad is one of the most famous hiking trails in the Netherlands. Anyone who hikes even a little has walked one or more days of this beautiful trail. Stubborn as I am, I’d never actually walked a single Pieterpad stage. As a dedicated hiker, that had to change at some point, so right after leaving my job at the police… I went and hiked 10 days on the Pieterpad.
When I started in mid-August ’24, the weather was wonderful. At the official starting point in Pieterburen, a fellow hiker who, like me, was starting that same summer day took my photo. As you’ll notice, the letter I is missing from “Pieterpad” in the photo. I saw a picture taken two days later and the I had already been repainted. The Pieterpad really does seem to be very well maintained!
First, let me give you some general information about this most famous long-distance trail in the Netherlands: the Pieterpad route.
The Pieterpad route
The Pieterpad route is a beautifully laid-out trail from Pieterburen to the Sint-Pietersberg, alternating between paved roads, sandy paths, and forest trails. Wherever there’s a choice, the route favors unpaved paths and the prettiest nature trails. The entire Pieterpad is roughly 500 kilometers long and divided into 26 stages.
Pieterpad daily stages: how many days do you need?
I walked 10 days because I went from the start in Pieterburen to Hellendoorn. If you walk the whole of Pieterpad Part 1, you’ll end up in Vorden. That comes to 12 stages — add a rest day and you’ve got a wonderful 14-day hiking holiday in the Netherlands. Pieterpad Part 2 gives you another 13 stages, running from Vorden to the final endpoint in Maastricht.
I often see people asking what the midpoint of the Pieterpad is. Here’s your answer: it’s in Vorden, Gelderland, at the end of Pieterpad Part 1.
Would you also like to hike multiple days in Spain sometime? Check out my 8-day pilgrimage hike on the well-known Camino Francés.
Map of the Pieterpad – the full route
You can find all the information, including this clear overview map of the entire route, on the official Pieterpad website. During my 10 days on the Pieterpad, I checked the website and read through sections every day.
Source Pieterpad map Official website Pieterpad
Pieterpad accommodation
I arranged almost all of my overnight stays through Vrienden op de Fiets (Friends on Bikes). I found it absolutely ideal. It was my first experience with this kind of accommodation, and for a solo traveler in the Netherlands, I think it’s the best way to travel affordably.
You can of course also look for nice hotels along the Pieterpad (in Dutch). There are plenty of options to find along the way.
Cost of hiking the Pieterpad
Handy to know what a day of hiking the Pieterpad actually costs. If you arrange your accommodation through Vrienden op de Fiets like I did, you’re looking at roughly €27.50 for overnight stay and breakfast per day. On top of that comes lunch and dinner, and you can make that as expensive as you like. Do you eat out twice a day at a terrace café? A nice cup of coffee in the morning, maybe with a slice of cake, and another café stop in the afternoon?
My average Pieterpad costs, aside from accommodation, came to roughly another €20 to €25 per day.
- Budget around €50 per day for hiking the Pieterpad (check current Vrienden op de Fiets rates before you go, as they can change)
Pieterpad trail markings
Like every long-distance trail crossing provincial borders, the Pieterpad is marked with red and white trail markers. The little flags are easy to spot, and the arrows clearly show you which way to go.
Pieterpad packing list
I packed as little as possible, naturally. It’s roughly the same packing list I use for my pilgrimage trips, so I’m happy to share the link to that list.
Packing list for hiking and pilgrimage trips
Abroad I usually hike with trekking poles. I rarely do that in the Netherlands, but because I was walking multiple days in a row with several kilos on my back, I did use them on the Pieterpad. Want to hike with trekking poles too?
Order your trekking poles here.
Let’s finally get onto the Pieterpad and walk these stages. I walked from Pieterburen to Hellendoorn over 2 weeks. Here’s my account of hiking the Pieterpad in the summer of 2024.
Hiking the Pieterpad
Stage 1 – Pieterburen to Winsum – 12 km
I took the train from Nijverdal to the starting point of the Pieterpad. It took me a good 2 hours. Via Zwolle to Groningen, and from Groningen to Winsum to catch the bus to Pieterburen… so I could walk back from there to Winsum, the first 12 km of the Pieterpad.
The bus dropped me off right at the start, and I immediately spotted the big yellow letters “Start Pieterpad.nl” on a low wall. On the bus I’d already noticed a couple who were clearly also about to hike; they took my photo at the yellow letters. I also chatted with a man who’d had the Pieterpad guidebook for a year already and was finally taking his first steps. I saw him wandering around the square afterward, reading all the information posted on the various signs along Hoofdstraat in Pieterburen.
I spotted a sunny terrace café with a few tables occupied, but still plenty of room for a quick lunch before setting off. By then it was already noon. After a nice ham-and-cheese omelet, I took my first steps on the Pieterpad.
I soon found myself walking between meadows; it’s wonderfully flat here, of course, with a lot of water. That gave it a really classic Dutch feel right from the start. At one point I crossed the water via a charming, elevated footbridge and passed a few farms. I thoroughly enjoyed the walk, helped along by lovely weather. I was struck by the construction of one farm in particular, with several buildings, barns, and houses all linked together. That made me drifting off imagining what a brilliant place that would have been to play hide-and-seek as a kid.
After a while I found myself on a long stretch of paved road, always a little less exciting, but unavoidable. It wasn’t long before I reached a small village: Eenrum. I’d already spotted the church tower, and the route takes you right past it. Otherwise, the village seemed pretty deserted; the shops were closed too, and I didn’t notice anywhere to get a drink. So I just kept walking.
I came past a major road again, walking on a cycle path, and saw the artwork from a different angle this time. When I was on the bus to Pieterburen, I’d spotted what I thought was a church in the distance. As the bus got closer, it turned out to be several brick pillars of varying heights. Looking it up now, I see it’s an artwork called Folly of Groningen (in Dutch).
Shortly after, I reached another small village, called Mensingeweer. I took a short break under the windmill to drink some water and study the information board. Then I continued, past a beautiful stretch of water with a view of the Mensingeweer windmill. I walked further into the nature reserve and was amazed at how many small boats still passed by along the Mensingeweersterloopdiep. It really still felt like a proper summer holiday day. When I passed the large farm at Maarhuizen, there was a party going on. You could easily have grabbed a seat at the terrace there, but I kept walking.
Right after that I came across a few small houses on stilts overlooking a beautiful nature reserve. So pretty! It must belong to the farm I’d just passed. As a newly married couple, you could spend a lovely wedding night there. The Pieterpad took me right past it, then led me into the meadows so I got a good view of the two little houses. Gorgeous spot!
I continued on along the water and eventually, passing the canoe club, slowly walked into Winsum. The Pieterpad brought me into the center, toward the lovely bridge where the local cafés and restaurants thrive too. I happily settled onto the terrace at J&A, housed in a former town hall. In the evening I went back there for dinner. It had been an amazing first day.
I spent the night at a Vrienden op de Fiets address.
Cost: €27.50 including breakfast.
Stage 2 – Winsum to Groningen – 22 km
After a good night’s sleep in a house in Winsum, and breakfast at the table with the family, I walked back to the center of Winsum to pick up the Pieterpad trail again. It was wonderful weather again and I set off in good spirits. I took my newly fitted insoles out of my shoes… they were giving me too much pain in my feet. And a blister!
That day I walked on the old insoles again, and as soon as I left Winsum, that felt much better.
I walked along long cycle paths through the Groningen countryside. Eventually I arrived at Garnwerd along the Reitdiep, where a boat was just causing the bridge to lift. On the other side was a small restaurant where I saw people sitting on the terrace, but I thought, I’ve only just started, I’ll keep going a bit longer. Little did I know this would be one of the only options until I reached Groningen. Luckily I always carry energy bars in my backpack.
The Pieterpad took me a good way further along the Reitdiep, where at one point I passed a lovely rest spot. One I unfortunately didn’t make use of, located at the Wetsingerzijl, a drainage sluice. If only you knew everything in advance! I happily walked on, thoroughly enjoying the wide-open views and the wonderful weather.
After crossing the water, I walked along a paved road and spotted another rest point. I told myself I’d stop there for a nice coffee, or at least a break. It turned out to be a former boat’s wheelhouse, converted into a rest spot. Unfortunately it was closed. Such a lovely spot, though, so cleverly made!
After this, because two bridges were out of service (boats had collided with them years ago and again more recently), we had to take a small detour. It was well signposted by the Pieterpad organization; one turn took a moment of guessing, but with the GPX file I never could have missed it. After that I reached a large bridge, “Dorkwerd,” crossing the Van Starkenborgh Canal. From there it was a long, straight stretch directly into Groningen. A great section to walk. The final part took me past the university and into a neighborhood. A man I’d spoken with just before Groningen had told me about a community center nearby where I could grab something to eat and drink.
Just as I spotted that building on my left, I also saw the couple who’d started in Winsum at the same time as me. I’d already crossed paths with them a few times along the way; we greeted each other and I headed for the terrace while they ate a sandwich nearby. For under €10 I had a coffee, a cola, and two vegetarian croquettes with fries — such good value! This was at neighborhood restaurant De Duindoorn.
After a good break, during which I also took off my shoes and socks to dry and cool down, I had renewed energy to walk into Groningen and find a terrace, before heading to my Vrienden op de Fiets address.
In the evening I had a wonderful Lebanese meal at SemSom — for once, not vegetarian. I can genuinely recommend this restaurant, with lovely flavors and really fresh food.
Stage 3 – Groningen to Zuidlaren – 21 km
The next morning, after a pleasant breakfast with a Pieterpad cyclist, I headed to the station, where I’d arranged to meet someone I know. I know Rachel from the TBEX conferences, which I attended a fair number of times — travel-related conferences where I learned a lot during that period. I also met Jacoba from OpReisMetCo there, because she joined me for this day’s walk!
Just outside Groningen on Pieterpad stage 3
We slowly walked out of the city and into nature, chatting away. I’d seen her once before, for the first time, in Portugal: right after I finished my Fishermen’s Trail, and she happened to be in Lagos. Now, with my new lifestyle and mission, it’s lovely to meet like-minded people and be able to ask all my questions.
For that reason I noticed a bit less of the surroundings than I would have walking alone, naturally.
We walked through a small nature area briefly alongside the A28 motorway; we could hear it but barely saw it. The views, though, were genuinely beautiful: green nature areas with quite a few patches of water, which of course attracts plenty of birds. At the Nijveensterkolksluis we spotted two men sitting and painting — so photogenic!
We also passed a nice sign showing I’d already covered 36 km on the Pieterpad. After that we ventured deeper into a more forested area, with beautiful unpaved paths to follow. We took a good break at Pavilion Sassenheim in Haren. Just before that it had looked like it might rain, but it passed, and we were able to sit pleasantly in the sun with a fresh breeze.
Jacoba knew we’d pass a dolmen, one of the only ones actually in the province of Groningen. You need to step a few hundred meters off the route for it. No problem at all — we admired dolmen G1. Shortly after, you walk into the Drenthe landscape and soon come across a second and third dolmen. I was amazed that one dolmen is literally sitting in someone’s garden. That’s dolmen D3 and D4 in Midlaren.
After Midlaren we soon walked into Zuidlaren, our endpoint for the day. We sat at a terrace café for a while, and then Jacoba took the bus back to Groningen while I went looking for my Vrienden op de Fiets address.
That evening I had a three-course meal, fitting for a pilgrim, just served at a retirement home. They really had it together, and it was great value. I paid under €15.
And so there are days on the Pieterpad when you walk alone… And days on the Pieterpad when you walk together
Stage 4 – Zuidlaren to Rolde – 17 km
This morning I again set off after a good breakfast, during which the man of the house treated us (two cyclists and me) to a tune on his accordion. With Vrienden op de Fiets, you end up in all kinds of people’s homes. It’s really lovely getting these little introductions and glimpses into other people’s lives, every single time. I had plenty of that through my police work, of course, except those were different kinds of homes — places where things often weren’t going so well. Such a nice contrast to experience this side of life!
Since late the previous afternoon I’d been having some knee trouble. The blisters hadn’t really gotten worse, thankfully, even though I had them on my right big toe and left little toe, but my body was protesting through my knee instead. I grabbed my trekking poles and started walking partly leaning on them, which does take some pressure off the knee. I went out nice and easy; the entire first stretch led through grounds that have historically housed people with mental health struggles — a lovely, park-like area. Around 10am I arrived at the Drentsche Aa near the Johannes Hovenkamp bridge. I couldn’t resist a cappuccino there.
It was a bit chilly, so I put on my brightly colored windbreaker. In the distance, on the Johannes Hovenkamp bridge, I suddenly saw someone waving. A little confused, I waved back, and saw the woman turn around and walk back toward me. She introduced herself as Rezy; she followed me on Instagram and recognized me by my brightly colored jacket! Such a fun moment. We had a really nice chat for a bit; later I saw she rents out a holiday home on Instagram called De Kapschuur in Eeserveen. We’d run into each other again later on this route.
I stayed seated a while longer as they walked on. When I continued, I struck up a conversation with Linda. We were in a somewhat similar situation; she’d also quit her job to go freelance, with Herbalife, and well, I’m in a comparable spot myself, of course. Because of that we had a really nice, if brief, conversation that clicked immediately. It’s remarkable how quickly you can get to the heart of things while walking, without really knowing each other. Because Linda walked at a fairly brisk pace and I was still struggling a bit with that knee, I let her go ahead. And yet, while we were talking, I noticed I was walking faster myself and felt nothing of the knee at all… But best not to overthink it, and just take it easy again.
And then there are days on the Pieterpad when you talk to all kinds of like-minded people
By this point I was walking through gorgeous nature, lovely forest paths, and at one point a nice boardwalk path. After that I walked through purple heather. What a beautiful purple color it still had! At the end of that heath section I also passed a dolmen, which really completed this nature reserve. I was walking through Drentsche Aa National Park.
Coming out of there, I reached Gasteren and a restaurant serving pancakes, which I’d already been told about that morning, so I happily sat down for a delicious pancake with cheese and syrup.
When I left Gasteren, I entered the Balloërveld nature reserve. Once again, beautiful purple heather, this time interspersed with white sandy paths. It looks gorgeous, but it’s a bit tougher walking; you sink in slightly with every step, so that stretch was a little heavier going, especially once the wind picked up.
At the end of this nature area I reached a stone circle called De Baak. Shortly after, I walked into Rolde. I hadn’t booked a place to stay yet, so I started calling around. That didn’t really work out in tiny Rolde, so I switched to Assen instead. One phone call later it was sorted, and soon I was on the bus to Assen. There I had two vegetarian croquettes with fries at a terrace in the center, then walked into the neighborhood to my Vrienden op de Fiets address for the night.
Stage 5 – Rolde to Schoonloo – 18 km
After breakfast in Assen, where my host offered to drive me back to Rolde, I was quickly back on the route. How great is that! Behind the church in the center of this small village, I continued my route. It was a long stretch between meadows before I dove into the Andersche Diep, a small nature area, since shortly after I found myself walking through a forest.
First some winding paths, then long straight tracks led me through the forest toward Schoonloo. After a while I passed a sign telling me I was on the Hondsrug near Meindersveen, and the landscape changed a bit too. It opened up again, and I walked alongside something like marshland and, a bit later, more heath. A nicely varied stretch. I naturally took my time again, taking a photo of a butterfly but also of the lovely path and the trees. And when a bench appeared, I took a short break.
After this I walked back into forest, where a bomb crater had been made visible again. Many bombs had fallen here during the war, most likely dropped early by Allied planes heading back to England. When I came out of the forest, I walked a few more kilometers along a paved road before reaching Schoonloo. Café Hegeman offered a lovely terrace with some shade, where I ate a delicious triple tofu toastie.
In Schoonloo I slept in a really lovely bell tent at campsite De Deelderij.
Stage 6 – Schoonloo to Sleen – 23 km
At campsite De Deelderij I grabbed a nice cup of coffee from the machine at reception before packing up my tent and heading out. Most of the aches and pains were long gone by now; thankfully the two blisters from the start hadn’t really progressed, but that knee kept slowing me down. Not a problem in itself, since I always walk fairly briskly, so even with the knee I wasn’t arriving too early each day at this distance.
After a short stretch on the road, the Pieterpad disappeared into the forest. After a while I came across a stone bench that, according to the sign, was already over 100 years old. A bit further on I passed another bench, this one telling me I’d already walked 90 kilometers from Pieterburen. I didn’t use that bench to sit on either.
A little later the landscape opened up again and the purple heather briefly came back into view. A few drops fell, but luckily it didn’t turn into real rain. I walked along beautifully winding paths, alternating with wide, straight unpaved tracks. I noticed a lot of droppings from some animal I couldn’t immediately place — a fox, maybe?
When I came out of the forest at a canal, I knew I was about to step off the route briefly. About 1 km to the left is Schoonoord, which you might know from the Dutch folk tale of Ellert and Brammert. I headed there to sit on a lovely terrace at Jor’s Haven and order a delicious ham-and-cheese omelet. It was so pleasant there behind the glass, in the sun and out of the wind. Just genuinely a lovely holiday!
After that, back the same distance toward the bridge to cross the canal and continue the Pieterpad. It took a while, but then I was walking through a lovely stretch of forest and heath again. I sat for a bit on a bench overlooking some water among the heather. Shortly after, I reached an open area; I noticed benches lining the edge, which made me curious. Looking closer, I saw a sign in the middle of the plain pointing to a hill. On the hill stood the monument called Blick in den Stein. It’s dedicated to the founders of the Pieterpad!
I hadn’t done a headstand yet, so this was the moment to do it!
When I continued on from there, I ran into the deaf man again, whom I’d briefly “talked” with the day before too. He stuck close and kept walking alongside me. Fine, I thought. At the airplane monument we also stood and looked together for a moment. As I walked on, he stayed close again. This continued for a few kilometers… He’d say something now and then that I couldn’t understand, and when I said something, he didn’t bother looking at me so he could lip-read. It started to feel quite uncomfortable, and when we came out of the forest and went under a road, I took a break. I hoped he’d walk on, but he didn’t. It was a warm day, and he had something to drink too, but when I stayed seated, he also pulled out the Pieterpad guidebook.
So I thought, fine, I’ll get moving and walk a bit faster. I was quite surprised to suddenly hear quickened footsteps behind me. Looking back, I saw that the deaf man had run to catch up with me again. I decided to walk on quickly; the man managed to keep pace with me for a while but eventually had to give up. What a strange situation.
At that point I could already see Sleen in the distance, so I was able to slow down a little and, just before Sleen, take a right turn since I’d booked a campsite and took the shortcut. I heard, faintly behind me, that the man wanted to point out my “mistake” in the route — I waved cheerfully at him once more and kept walking.
Shortly after, I was sitting in front of my retro caravan, fittingly named Blue Lady. Want to stay there too? It’s at campsite Pieterom – Blue Lady.
Stage 7 – Sleen to Coevorden – 21 km
In the morning I happily made my own cup of coffee in the caravan and enjoyed the crisp morning air. The night before there had been quite a bit of thunder and rain, which of course brought the temperature down nicely.
At 8:30am I walked to the road, where I’d arranged to meet Martina, who would join me for a day on the Pieterpad. The timing was perfect, as she was just being dropped off. Chatting away, we set off down the road. We soon walked along the Jongbloedvaart through tall grass and reached the Haarbrug, where we crossed to head toward Den Hool.
There we found a lovely spot (De Kastanjehoeve) for a nice cup of coffee with a piece of nut cake. Martina, who lives nearby, even spotted her father-in-law cycling past and yet hadn’t known about this lovely place herself. So fun how walking different paths shows you spots you didn’t know, even close to home.
We continued along the paved road and then passed through Dalerveen. After Dalerveen we reached a small Jewish cemetery, where we took another short break. By then it was already 12:30, so time for lunch too. I notice I didn’t take a single photo of the cemetery or the interesting information board there. I do have a photo of an artwork a bit further along the path, part of a project by Natuurkunst Dalen: the skeleton of a house, through whose various window frames you could view the surroundings.
Along this stretch we also passed a lovely meadow and, later, a beautiful body of water with a fish passage, the Huttenheugte. There were signs noting plenty of meadow birds in the area too. After this stretch of nature, we briefly walked along a through road before following the Drostendiep toward Coevorden. About a kilometer before Coevorden, at the Stieltjeskanaal, we returned to the road and could walk into the town via a lovely park.
We naturally treated ourselves to a terrace café here to celebrate having made it. Good practice for Martina too, for the upcoming Camino she’ll be walking with me — the 200 km route still ahead of her!
I really loved how nicely the new park by the castle was done. I sat there happily again in the evening and went for another walk. My Vrienden op de Fiets address happened to be just a stone’s throw from this park — ideal again!
Stage 8 – Coevorden to Hardenberg – 19 km
In the conservatory of my Vrienden op de Fiets stay I was served a lovely breakfast, and then I set off with my jacket on, since it was a bit chillier again in the morning. Shortly after Coevorden, the Pieterpad dove into a meadow, and I saw a sign indicating the Poort van Drenthe (Gateway to Drenthe) would be on my path. I’d already heard of it; it’s supposed to be a beautiful spot.
It took a bit longer than expected; I walked a number of lovely paths alongside a flock of sheep keeping the grass nicely trimmed. I never actually saw the sheep themselves, unfortunately, but I did see the movable fencing and a sign explaining it. After a lovely view over some water, the path curved to the left and rose slightly, and suddenly I saw the large stones used to build the “gateway.” Lovely!
I obviously had to take a photo of myself there. That’s exactly why I carry that selfie stick with remote control.
Shortly after this you leave the nature area and walk along a paved road. There I found a lovely rest spot where I bought a coffee and sat in the sun for a while at a nice picnic table. My jacket came off, and a little later I continued along the road toward De Haandrik. From there it was still about half an hour’s walk before reaching Gramsbergen. Here I could sit comfortably by the water at the Steensteeg bridge near Mommeriete. I ordered a toastie and coffee, and enjoyed watching a mother great crested grebe and her two chicks swim by a few times.
Walking on, I passed through the charming town of Gramsbergen. I’d never been there and found it a really lovely place. Pretty little winding streets through the center, with beautiful old houses still standing, and quite an impressive church in the middle. As I left the center, I passed a nice park, and in the area also a statue of climbing monkeys, though I didn’t actually spot it. My colleague Marjolein pointed it out to me, as she happened to find me just outside Gramsbergen. What a wonderful surprise! She was just returning from a visit and saw me sitting near an artwork. She quickly changed into hiking clothes and joined me for the afternoon walk to Hardenberg. So much fun again!
That also means I have very few photos from the afternoon. I had a lovely chat with Marjolein and couldn’t keep stopping for pictures. We walked a beautiful route that didn’t require too much navigating attention either, which made for a nice change.
We sat happily on a terrace in Hardenberg for a while, and then Marjolein was picked up again. How fun that she was relieved by Emiel, who works in Hardenberg and joined me on the Camino trip back in April. I also got to sit on a terrace with him for a while.
What another wonderful day on the Pieterpad. I bought some bulgur salad and tapas, which I brought with me into the neighborhood to my Vrienden op de Fiets address. That worked out perfectly for dinner.
Stage 9 – Hardenberg to Ommen – 21 km
My second-to-last day already. After a good breakfast, I picked up the Pieterpad route again. I quickly walked out of Hardenberg through a lovely nature area along the water. They’ve created a beautiful park, Vechtpark Hardenberg, perfect for a pleasant walk. After this park I followed a sandy track past a neighborhood, still with views of the Vecht river. A lovely stretch in the morning; I came across many local residents — some with dogs, others just out walking, jogging, or cycling.
Around 10:30 I walked into the small town of Rheeze and happily settled onto a sunny terrace at the Rheezerkamer. Really fun, colorful terrace with all kinds of different seating. I had a nice café latte and a slice of cheesecake, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Here I spoke again with two Pieterpad hikers, whom I’d cross paths with a few more times throughout the day.
From Rheeze I walked toward Junne, first passing campsite Capfun, where I was lucky enough to find a restroom. Continuing from there, I walked through a lovely forest path. Shortly after, I came across the “dessert bench.” How fun that people make something like this! Across from it stood another bench, where I sat since the dessert bench was already occupied. When the people there left, I went to take a look, and sure enough, there was a cooler box actually filled with desserts and canned drinks! I ate a banana from my bag, cooled my feet for a bit, dried my socks, and continued on.
Soon after, I reached the fish ladder, where a man was selling ice cream from a cart. It was lovely weather, so naturally I bought myself one. Walking on, I found a nice spot beside the Vecht on a small hill to sit for a while. Continuing from there, I reached familiar territory; here the route crosses the Vechtdalpad. Walking through a beautiful forest path, you suddenly come upon a drift-sand area, also near Junne. There are several of these sand drifts around Ommen; the most well-known is probably the Sahara, which the route skirts closely. If you want to see it, you’d need to walk straight on across the railway, but the route soon turns right to head toward Ommen.
When I reached Ommen I was able to check in at my Vrienden op de Fiets address, then went to sunbathe by the Vecht. They’ve created a lovely plaza along the water there, a sunbathing meadow. Wonderful!
I ate something along the waterfront and took a stroll through the old town center before heading to bed at a decent hour. Tomorrow was my last walking day, when I’d walk together with a former colleague into Hellendoorn — the same place I’d started 10 days earlier.
Stage 10 – Ommen to Hellendoorn – 21 km
We’d agreed to meet around 9am, and together with Belinda I followed the first sign — or so we thought. We immediately went the wrong way and ended up on the Maarten van Rossumpad. This trail is also marked in red and white and continues into the Koesteeg, where the Pieterpad actually goes straight on toward Ommen station. After the station, crossing the railway, we immediately turned left onto a road that brought us out between the meadows. I also know this stretch from the Krishnamurti walk in Ommen.
This stretch took us past the steep slope and the former camps used by Krishnamurti, where later the labor camps Erika and Erica were also located. One camp held Jewish prisoners during the Second World War, and the other was a detention camp for arrested Dutch nationals after the war. Such enormous contrasts — from Krishnamurti to a labor camp.
There’s also a lovely tower here giving you a view over the surroundings.
Continuing on, it wasn’t long before we reached the Nieuwe Brug, where we had a nice cup of coffee. From there you climb the second hill of this Pieterpad stage, the Archemerberg. Here we walked fully in the sun and among the purple heather. It was quite a warm day, but the breeze across the open plain made it very manageable.
As we continued and descended from the highest point, where naturally there’s a sign showing the various towns surrounding this hill, we reached the Dikke Kei (Big Boulder). Belinda even posed nicely for the photo!
We then walked down the hill and, passing alongside Lemele, set our course for Hellendoorn. But before we tackled the long stretches of road, we stopped at the lovely rest point ‘t Glint. What a charming little garden they’ve created for hikers to sit in. You can buy all sorts of things there, and there’s plenty to see too. Every table has a beautiful little bunch of flowers, and the garden is genuinely beautifully decorated.
After this came a number of long paved and sandy roads before we reached the Elerberg. There you walk through an old estate, with the pinetum (pine arboretum) on your left at one point. The Pieterpad doesn’t lead you directly to it, but if you look carefully around you, you can see many different tree species growing. The Vening Meinesz family bought this land in 1847 and built the estate, laying out the pinetum. You can read more about it (in Dutch).
I walk through here so often that I’ve taken very few photos. And now, searching, I can’t find any good photos that really capture what the pinetum looks like or how beautiful this little stretch of hill is, just before Hellendoorn.
We walked on, and once we came out of the hill area, we followed the long paved road down into Hellendoorn.
To reach the midpoint of the Pieterpad, I’d still need to walk two more stages. That would make for a proper 14-day hiking holiday, including travel days. That account is coming soon too — I’ve since walked them, in lovely spring sunshine as well!
Stage 11 – Hellendoorn to Holten – 15 km
Stage 12 – Holten to Laren – 14 km
My experience on the Pieterpad
I hiked the Pieterpad for 10 days and, for most nights, was able to make use of the Vrienden op de Fiets network. I loved the walking, and the Pieterpad is clearly well marked. I’d downloaded the GPX file from the Pieterpad website onto my phone. That made it easy to check whenever I wasn’t quite sure I was on the right track. I also like being able to see how far along I am on each day’s stage.
My experience was really good, and I’m definitely planning to continue my Pieterpad journey at some point.
Pieterpad Part 1 actually continues for 2 more stages. I didn’t have time for those on this trip, but I’ll definitely walk them next time. For now, my time was up, and I went on a pilgrimage trip — the second one I organized, in September ’24. I’d also organized one in April ’24 (in Dutch), and the dates for this year are already filling up nicely. Want to join? Take a look here.
On every trip, I carry my own refillable water bottle #ad. My mission is to help eliminate single-use plastic, and refilling instead of throwing away is one of the easiest ways travelers can contribute to that. A foldable bag #ad for small purchases also saves unnecessary plastic waste along the way.
Want to read more, or looking for more long-distance hiking tips?
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- Trekking poles – do you use them? Read more about the benefits
- Hiking and navigating alone – how do I do it?
- Hiking in Spain on the GR92 – Cami de Ronda
- An adventurous hiking trip on the island of Mallorca – GR221
- Hiking on the Greek island of Karpathos
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