Hike through the Veluwe or Utrechtse Heuvelrug? (NL)

[Thijzzz]

I've just got off the phone with Pantalaimon and MortalMerlin, and this is all the info I've heard: (please correct me if I'm wrong)

* Pantalaimon knows the area and camped out there before, so that's perfect. The hike starts in Nunspeet and goes in the direction of Arnhem. We spend the first night rougly in the area around Vierhouten. After that, there's no set plan, just enjoy the hike and see how far we go depending on fitness etc.

* MortalMerlin is coming from Leuven, Belgium and can pick me up (in Oss) and Pantalaimon (in Houten). Then we drive to Nunspeet.
(Mortalmerlin: That's a 4 hour drive. If you want, you're welcome to spend the night in Oss so you can get up bright and shiny. Warning: it's Senseo or instant coffee here )

Stijn: where do you live, and do you have transport?

* Food & water: might be the most practical if everyone brings their own?

My GF is really bummed that she has to work and can't come....she'll survive


Ps: if you go to www.marktplaats.nl now, you can get a "travel all you want on 1 day"-ticket for only € 17,95. Takes 4-5 days to get delivered to your door, so be quick!

[stijnb]

@thijs: transportation is no problem for me as long as we start and end somewhere near a train station.

water will be a bit of a challenge though as you'll need at least 2l pp pd and that means either carry alot of weight or resupply often.......

[Pantalaimon]

Great!

The weather report says that it won't be cold, but on Friday a bit of rain. Nothing too extreme it seems.

Last bit of planning:
About the food and water: we could take enough for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Also we could resupply on Saturday in Elspeet for Saturday and Sunday(=stores closed). For water, we could always knock on someone's door

What are your idea's?
Martin: how long can/will you be staying?

[stijnb]

hej, as it's getting near friday, I have another great question: where exactly will we meet? At the train station in nunspeet? and Panthalaimon, I hope you can get a map? then I'll bring my compass.
And just to be shure, it would be nice if everyone has about 2-3 litre water carrying capacity as it wouldn't be nice to have to refill every hour XD

[mortalmerlin]

Martin: how long can/will you be staying?

I was planning on staying for the friday, saturday and sunday but it is always possible I get called away for work.

Do we know for sure if we can use fire to cook? Trying to fit everything in for 3 days is proving tricky so it would be cool if I could leave the stove out

[Pantalaimon]

Just besides the train station is a good spot. There's a "kiss n ride" spot. I'll have some maps with me.
And indeed, don't underestimate the importance of water. It will be about 20 degrees Celsius max. I'm thinking of resupplying at Saturday in Elspeet, so we don't have to take food/water for 3 days with us. What do you guys think?

You can leave your stove at home. It won't be quiet in the woods because of the holidays, but most tourists probably won't go very deep in the forests in the evening/early morning.

[mortalmerlin]

A re-supply would be great

Does anyone know if there somewhere to park long term (3 days) near the station?

[Thijzzz]

Guys, I will not be joining you: I've had headaches for some weeks now (never have them normally) and it's been getting worse last week and this week. I wake up every morning at 5 with a pounding head, and it lastst all day. Thank God for Ibuprofen. The doc says I should keep rest for a week, and though I looked foward to the hike, I'm pretty sure warm weather + hiking = more trouble. So I'll have to bail out.

Hope you guys have fun!

PS: recently there have been some fires on the Veluwe, take this in account when choosing your overnight spot!!

[Pantalaimon]

That's a pity!
Try to be as much outdoor as you can, the fresh air heals! (in most cases)

See you another time then, I hope you get better soon.

[stijnb]

@thijzz: to bad mate, hope you'll get over it soon.
Just hope for some sort of unexpected magical recovery though :P
@mortalmerlin: I'll bring a little butane burner "just in case" as it doesn't really weight anything, it is a bit noisy though.

[Pantalaimon]

Well, we're back home!
When Martin and me were in Nunspeet, Stijn was there also early. So we did start early. We've walked around Vierhouten, visited the Verscholen Dorp ('disguised village'), a place in the woods where Jews and other people were hiding for the nazi's in WW2. We walked at a fair speed, which we would later regret. After something more than 15 km, we made camp. After seeing Martin lying in his hammock, I became a bit jealous .

The next day we went to Elspeet for supplies. We came through some heathland with old gardens from long past days. The first blisters were formed when we walked to the supermarked. There got Martin a call that he had to return to home for work. We ate something and I bought the bivvybag I borrowed. Nice peace of kit! Then we said goodby to Martin as he walked back to Nunspeet. Stijn and I walked to the forests of the crown. Quite unknown in the Netherlands, there were some nice hills. We saw a good amount of deer, and not so many boars as I expected. Our camp was in a nice 'big' (Dutch standards) beech part. When we went for an evening walk at nightfall, we'd meet another pair of guys who thought it was also nice to spent a night in the woods. Another more then 15 km with our footsteps on it.

Sunday, we really felt our blisters. But we came through some places that don't felt Dutch: slopes with beautiful green grass and farms in the middle of the forest. The day was quite hard, so we had dinner and relaxed in a small village. After that another hour of walking and problems with finding a place to sleep: trapped on a road with fences on both sides. No campfire, but Stijn's burner brought forth some hot chocolate before crawling into our sleeping bags. We had walked more than at the beginning was planned, this day was 23 more km closer to our goal.

Monday started cold. Our bodies felt the day before. This day it was really stumbling to Arnhem. Sunday, Stijn had the plan to catch a bus at the edge of Arnhem, but he didn't. We walked through Arnhem straight to a sidewalk cafe for a beer. At 13:30 we could let our feet rest there.

We walked more than 70 km in 4 small days. Not very much maybe, but neither of us had many experience with hiking. Thereby, my normal hikingshoes were damaged so I had to walk on new sandals. Stijn also learned a lesson to buy a good pair of shoes
It was a nice experience and I have learned a lot. Even with a lot of blisters, I could say it was successful.

Now I have the plan to walk it in 1 day.

[mortalmerlin]

It was great to meet you both and a shame I got called back Still it was nice to get at least one night in the woods. The walk back upto Nunspeet was nice and even better my car hadn't been towed. Hope the blister plasters helped.

[stijnb]

It was a great weekend, never tought the veluwe was so big (seems small though becouse it's divided into many small rectangulair pieces.)
I really like(d) the spot where we camped on saturday, nice beech forrest with allot of deer and boars and enough firewood within reach
Now I just discovered on google earth that we could've easilly walked throug the deelerwoud if we had just gone over the fence as you suggested

have to buy better shoos next time though blisters can be pretty painfull

[squantrill]

Guys sounds like I missed a nice weekend not sure I could have managed the 70km though getting old you see

Maybe if there is another weekend ? then ill try to get there this time!!

Simon

[born2roam]

thanx for a nice read guys! And for some extra info on a planned trip in the future, time permitting....I still have the idea to walk from de Utrechtse Heuvelrug to Het Zwolsche Bos (Heerde)... the long way but haven't found time yet to figure out logistics with water...

What was the navigation tools used? Google Earth or maps too or?

Grtz Johan

[Pantalaimon]

haha, I'm still sitting here with blisters and you are ready for a new trip

We navigated on maps of Staatsbosbeheer(Nunspeet and Midden-Veluwe) and a cyclingmap with good navigating points. Only the south-west part is a bit unknown on maps.

And indeed, the spot of saturday was really nice. Beech with the leaves of last fall on the ground, and young green leaves in the trees. Looked a bit fluorescent.

[Pantalaimon]

Guys sounds like I missed a nice weekend not sure I could have managed the 70km though getting old you see

Maybe if there is another weekend ? then ill try to get there this time!!

Simon

too bad you we're not there. Then we would have gone slower = less blisters

Thanks again for the blister plasters and bivvybag Martin.

[madcow]

he he

I any one is interested, I can get the phone number of a gamekeeper stationed at Lochem.
And I know that he is very flexible when it comes to wild camping, so long as all the rubbish is cleaned up and the site is not abused. The times I was there it was because of my study, but I'm almost sure that he will be all right with it.

I its located near the Lochemse Golf & Country Club De Graafschap. I have camped there 3 times already and it's a nice bit of pine forest, and its a protected bit of wood so there not allot of people come trough there.

I'll be in Italie from the 19e off June. But If someone wants the number I will send it to you. But it might take some time to get it as my teacher is a bit slow with answering mail

Bas