"Mountain bike routes have just been signposted on Texel." This news is only really funny when you realise that Texel is a West Frisian island four kilometres off the coast of the Netherlands. Just 23.7 kilometres long and 9.6 kilometres wide, its highest points are the Bertusnol dune (19.6 m) and the Hoge Berg (15 m).
But then you read on and realise that they really mean it. The MTB routes are to be spread across the entire island and are 84 kilometres long in total. In the south-west of the island, the "Texel Zuidlus" route (44.8 kilometres) winds through forest and dunes, circling one of the island's largest nature reserves - up and down on sandy and loamy paths and single trails. The "Texel Den Burg" (8.1 km) and the "Texel De Waal" tour (12.9 km) also await.
Of course, these are not Elba dimensions, but you can trust the Dutch when it comes to trails. Even though their highest peak, the Vaalserberg, is just 322.5 metres high, it doesn't stop them from creating large singletrail networks, as our tour author has already discovered around the Dutch city of Limburg.
It took him three hours to cover 17 kilometres on his very first tour. Because the trails there are so winding and require frequent gear changes. The Ghost racing team also likes to train on the somewhat unpredictable sandy trails with their short but steep ramps. If you want to see this trail network for yourself, here are the 6 best bike spots in the Netherlands:
1 Utrecht: The largest "trail centre" in the country
The city of Utrecht is located around 40 kilometres south of Amsterdam and is the first port of call for mountain bikers. The 60-square-kilometre Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park stretches along a green strip of forest hills near the city. Here you can link up over 100 kilometres of single trails, meet nice people in the forest cafés and even stay in campsites. The most fun lines can be found in these regions:
Amerongen and Leersum
Trail laps of over 20 kilometres are possible, sometimes technically demanding, but also really good flow. Top!
Kwintelooijen
Steep climbs and fast, technical descents, perfect training terrain for cross-country racers.
Location Vuursche
Playful curves, jumplines and flow in the north of the Utrecht National Park - the favourite spot for trail surfers.
Please note: A MTB vignette is required to use the national park trails. It costs 7.50 euros and is valid all year round. Fees that are okay because they go directly towards trail maintenance.
Info: visitheuvelrug.com
2 Limburg: The highest mountains
In the very south of the province of Limburg, the 322.5 metre high Vaalserberg is the highest mountain in the Netherlands, but where the most beautiful laps wind through the forest, you barely reach the 100 metre mark.
Nevertheless, the locals here are already talking about the "MTB paradise", because there are not only kilometres of trails here, but also serious climbs. BIKE tour author Matthias Rotter has produced a very entertaining report from this region with three extremely fun MTB routes and the best addresses around the towns of Overloon, Nijmeegen and America:
3. Gelderland: Veluwezoom National Park
Veluwezoom is the largest contiguous forest in the Netherlands. It is located in the province of Gelderland, but offers much more than just 90 metre high forest hills. Especially in August, the open heathland on the Posbank blooms and bathes the landscape in a violet spectacle of colour. Dynamic sand dunes undulate in between.
Trails for mountain bikers have also been created here so that you can enjoy this landscape to the full. Sandy, flowing, sometimes quite rooty and here again: interspersed with sporty ramps. The main circuit is just under 50 kilometres long and is said to be the most scenic and varied in the whole country.
Information on all tours: veluwe.nl
4th North Holland: Schoorlse Duinen
Directly on the North Sea coast, wind and waves have created a sand wall: the Schoorse dunes with dense forest cover. Here, too, the locals have created "the Schoorl Route", which was given a makeover in spring 2024: it is now divided into three laps with different levels of difficulty, but they can still be easily combined into a super lap. The sandy terrain is a real energy-sucker, while the view of the sea is inspiring.
Info: kampeerterreinbuitenduin.nl
5. North Brabant: De Loonse en Drunense Duinen National Park
The area is also known as the "Brabant Sahara", as a large part of the 3,500-hectare national park north-west of Eindhoven is sand drift area. In summer, temperatures here can reach well over 40 degrees during the day, while it cools down to 0 degrees at night.
The Ghost Racing Team prefers to ride here in the rain because the sandy soil drains the water well. The best trail tours start in Drunen/Giersbergen: 25 to 40 kilometre long, flowing laps on which you are rarely alone.
Info: visitbrabant.com
6. Texel: North Frisian Island
With all the upstream bike spots, it's no wonder that the small West Frisian island of Texel is now also signposting trail tours for mountain bikers. Especially as it is, of course, one of the Netherlands' local recreation areas. Apart from that, it is said that there are exactly as many people on the island as there are sheep. So there is plenty of nature and seven small towns that can be combined on the new tours.
Info: texel.net
Gitta Beimfohr
Editor
