Cycling route National Park Sallandse Heuvelrug and Wierdense Veld
Cycling through a varied and gently rolling landscape with sweeping views of forests, heathlands, living raised bogs, flower rich grasslands, and scenic farmlands.
The Landscape
National Park Sallandse Heuvelrug is one of the most distinctive natural areas in the Netherlands, with vast stretches of dry heathland that are rare on this scale. The ridge was formed during the Ice Age, when glaciers pushed up the land, while meltwater and wind further shaped the landscape. As a result, you cycle through rolling hills and quiet forests, with far reaching views from the higher elevations.
On the eastern side lies the Wierdense Veld, a fragile peatland area with wet grasslands, marshes, and rare living raised bogs. This open landscape often feels serene and almost timeless, especially when mist drifts over the peat and the surroundings seem nearly silent. Thanks to careful conservation management, the raised bog has been preserved, allowing cyclists to experience this unique natural landscape up close.
What You’ll Discover Along the Way
On the Sallandse Heuvelrug, you cycle past pine forests and wide heathlands, with sandy paths and open views towards Nijverdal and Hellendoorn. The contrast between sheltered forest edges and open heath creates ever changing scenery along the way. In late summer, when the heath is in bloom, every bend in the route feels like a new viewpoint.
In the Wierdense Veld, you cycle through wet grasslands, marshy lowlands, and rare living raised bogs, a landscape type that has become scarce in the Netherlands. The peat retains water and creates a quiet world of sphagnum moss, pools, and reed fringes, where you often hear birds before you see them. Near Hellendoorn and Wierden, this open and moisture rich wilderness forms a striking contrast with the dry heathlands and forests of the Sallandse Heuvelrug.
In the surroundings of Nijverdal and Wierden, you enter the atmosphere of the Regge region, where water is given more space and the riverbanks feel natural and untouched. Between the higher sandy grounds and the lower, moisture rich areas, the scenery changes subtly yet constantly. It is precisely this transition that makes the route so surprisingly varied.
The Sallandse Heuvelrug is a glacial ridge, something you notice through the short climbs and the sweeping views that suddenly open up along the route. Between the higher ridges lie more sheltered valleys and gentle transitions towards the open countryside. This gives your ride a pleasant rhythm of climbing, taking in the views, and smoothly rolling on again.
Ride along with us on this virtual bike tour
Virtual cycling through National Park Sallandse Heuvelrug lets you experience the relief of an Ice Age landscape, with short climbs, quiet pine forests, and vast heathlands that can stretch out like a purple sea. In the video, sweeping panoramas and sheltered forest paths alternate continuously, giving you a new perspective on this rugged part of Overijssel throughout the ride.
Afterwards, the landscape gradually shifts towards the Wierdense Veld, where wet grasslands, sphagnum moss, and pools shape the scenery of rare living raised bogs. You ride through a tranquil world of water and reed fringes, where birds and wide open views define the atmosphere, making the contrast with the dry Sallandse Heuvelrug feel even more striking.
Want to learn more about virtual cycling? THIS IS HOW VIRTUAL CYCLING WORKS
Route map and cycling junctions
Start and finish near cycling junction 53 on the Bonteweg in Nijverdal. Because this is a circular route, you can also start at one of the other cycling junctions along the route.
Distance: 51 km
Estimated riding time: 3 hours 27 minutes
Elevation gain: 145 m
Paved roads: 76%
Unpaved / semi-paved: 24%
Ideal for: e-bikes and city bikes
Along the way: several options for a coffee break or lunch.
