The best cycling routes in Valtherbos

Valtherbos offers a wide selection of touring cycling routes, with over 600 options available on komoot. These routes traverse the diverse landscapes of the forest, heathlands, and ancient esdorp areas.

The terrain in Valtherbos is characterized by winding paths through varied woodland environments, including oak, birch, and conifers. You'll also find smaller heathlands and open play meadows. While many routes are easy, some offer more challenging segments with varied elevations, as Valtherbos lies on the flank of the Hondsrug ridge.

Yes, Valtherbos is very welcoming for beginners, with over 400 easy touring cycling routes. An excellent option is the Dolmen D35 – Dolmen D31 loop from Klijndijk, which is 10.1 miles (16.3 km) long and takes about 57 minutes to complete, passing ancient hunebeds.

Valtherbos is rich in history. You can encounter several ancient hunebeds (megalithic tombs) such as Dolmen D35, D38, D39, and D40. Another poignant historical site is the Valtherbos Hiding Place, a significant World War II memorial. You might also find burial mounds and the A-Tree and 'De Schaar' Memorial.

For those seeking a longer or more challenging ride, Valtherbos offers nearly 220 moderate to difficult touring cycling routes. Consider the Dolmen D35 – Dolmen D45 (Emmerdennen) loop from Valthe, a 28.1 miles (45.1 km) trail that leads through diverse forest and historical sites, often completed in about 3 hours 16 minutes.

The komoot community highly rates touring cycling in Valtherbos, with an average score of 4.5 stars from over 890 reviews. Cyclists often praise the quiet, well-maintained paths, the diverse natural beauty, and the unique historical points of interest like the hunebeds.

Yes, many touring cycling routes in Valtherbos are designed as loops, allowing you to start and end at the same point. An example is the Hunebed Boswachterij Emmen – Valtherschans loop from Hunebed D41 Emmen Noord, an 18.7 km route that offers a great circular experience.

Valtherbos is an excellent choice for family cycling. The extensive network of well-maintained, often car-free paths, combined with numerous easy routes and interesting historical sites like hunebeds, makes it ideal for cyclists of all ages and abilities. The varied woodland and open play meadows also provide a pleasant environment for children.

Drenthe, including Valtherbos, is enjoyable for cycling throughout much of the year. Spring and autumn offer pleasant temperatures and beautiful scenery with changing foliage. Summer is also popular, though paths can be busier. The well-maintained infrastructure makes cycling feasible even in milder winter conditions.

Valtherbos is well-integrated into Drenthe's broader cycling network, which boasts over 1500 kilometers of paths. Routes like The New Heavenly Realm – Dolmen D14 Eexterhalte loop from Klijndijk, a 33.6 miles (54.1 km) path, traverse varied woodland and open landscapes, connecting different parts of the region and offering a taste of longer-distance touring.

Beyond the diverse tree species like oak, birch, and conifers, Valtherbos features smaller heathlands and open play meadows. You can also find the Pingoruine Glacier Hollow, a natural monument, and a Bird watching screen, offering opportunities to observe local wildlife and geological formations.