MTB (dutch) 
MTB
Holland links
Amsterdam,...
...is where we are living. As most people are aware of, Nord Holland, in fact
most of the Netherlands, are quite flat. Still there is hope, even if you prefer
a MTB to a racing bike, where the later has some strong points when most kilometers
in the Netherlands are asphalted and without a serious hill in sight...
But, how to prepare yourselves, we are fortunate to work away from Amsterdam,
which means that a few times a week we go to work on our bikes. With the open,
flat landscape relatively close to the North Sea, what we miss out in mountains
we receives manifold as wind in return - and the wind usually has the characteristic
to blow against you...
Then there is inland and central Netherlands, areas around Utrecht and Amersfoort.
Plus Limburg, where the mountains of the Ardennes is welcoming cyclists as well
as (motor-)bikers.
Next to Schoorl though, our favorites are in the Belgian part of the Ardennes
- either close to SPA, or La Roche which is more to the South.
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Winterswijk,
at the border with Germany |
| |
 Distance:
45 km
Rate:
Fast
Track:Forrest/
farmland
Extra:
Plenty of places to have a drink and a bite |
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MTB in Gelderland
(dutch)|
|
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Utrechtse
heuvelrug, Amerongen |
 |
Maastricht, there are many routes in this Limburgs
Heuvelland
|
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The
Netherlands, on the sites below you find the best tracks! |
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Watercontainers |
| |
The normal waterbottles we use
are just 1.5l softdrink bottles - gives you more water at hand. |
| |
Minimum drink water per person is 4l a day, plus any water
for cooking and cleaning. To cover this in New Mexico, two MSR waterbags
are employed - 4l respectively 6l. The MSR water-filter fits, and can
also be used as a field shower. |
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Wheel
& Tyres |
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The standard MTB wheels
are often built more for light-weight than for the heavy loads of camping
gear and water bottles. |
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Use tyres with knobs on the side
only when going on asphalt. With trajects of more than a day on tracks
with soft sand, mud or rock, choose a full profile. |
| |
Foldable tyres with strong sidewall-long life
& easy packing |
The Netherlands is perhaps the most flat little green
paddock in the world, but you'd be surprised of what you still can find of
MTB routes with class!
Here follows a selection of some of the most interesteing tracks to be challenged...
Where
the south of the Netherlands is made up of the forerunners to the Ardennes,the
dutch coast presents sand dunes awaiting your attack. In the middle of the countrythe
Weluwe is set aside for nature and outdoor activities. - For the MTB die-hards
there is enough fun to keep you busy.
On
the island of Texel, a technical 7 kilometer long track is the main MTB feature.
Sandy, wheel slipping sections, sharp bends and single track status is all there.
Especially the first 3km's the track is very narrow and quick to turn.
The
regular use of the track is the only thing preventing mother nature to take
over. After the first half, some surprisingly hard sand dunes follow.
Narrow
single track, through pine forest, open moorland and lush green woods - every
so-often interrupted by soft sand... Afterwards you can self choose between
a dip in the sea, coffee at the local cafe or double back home.
Our
home-track is located in Schoorl, where the sand dunes at sea up to 5km deep
is. Here in Noord Holland the dunes reach 54m into the sky (counted from inside
the polder), and in Schoorl the Schoorlse Nok stands tall at 47m above NAP.
Winterswijk
is as far you can get to the East without riding a Mercedes. Here in the Achterhoek
(back-corner) at the border with Germany, the nature shows great variation and
in between the manors and renessance castles thick forest covers the modestly
rolling landscape. The area is protected as National Cultural Heritage.
Some
400km paths, tracks and tertiary roads are there to be explored. Many of the
more than 70 country manors and castles are open to the public, and adds a certain
allure to the fast cycling experience.
At
the Utrechtse Heuvelrug there are actually a few routes located. Sandy sections,
moorland and old farmland intersects full grown forest in a wild mixture. In
Galgenberg a national forest is located and the whole region is a bird sancturay
of reknown.
In
the very south of the Netherlands, in South Limburg, the Heuvelland has got
eight (8) MTB tracks. All tracks are connected with each other, to form a netwerk
of 250km. Running south, these foothills signal the entry to the Ardennes.
The
routes are located in the forested part of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug. Originally
two estates of noble families, the Amerongse and the Zuilensteinse forests are
now housing excellent MTB tracks.
The
nature in the Heuvelland region is different from the rest of the Netherlands.
Except for real hills and small mountains, a lot of animals have found refugee.
Holland facts
Worldguide
Pictures
Dutch flowers
