The Netherlands is flat. Very flat. So when we spent a week around Ermelo, Harderwijk and Putten on the Veluwe, we were not expecting anything remotely close to proper mountain biking.
Turns out we were wrong.
No mountains, no lifts and no endless Alpine descents, but plenty of fast singletrack, tight corners, roots, loose sand, small jumps and surprisingly good flow. Add beautiful forests and huge open heathlands and you have a riding area that is much more entertaining than the elevation profile suggests.
Starting the MTB Trails in Ermelo
We stayed in a house right in the forest near Ermelo, so our morning routine was pretty simple: coffee, bike out, helmet on and straight onto the trails.
The official [Ermelo MTB route](Ermelo MTB route) is marked blue and runs for around 23 km through the forests and across the Ermelosche Heide. It can easily be connected with the [Harderwijk MTB route](Harderwijk MTB route), which adds another 21 km of trails.
The first kilometres immediately showed what Dutch mountain biking is about. The trails are narrow, fast and constantly twisting between the trees. Short climbs lead straight into flowing sections with roots, rollers and surprisingly sharp corners.
It never gets seriously steep, but try riding it fast without touching the brakes and things suddenly become much more interesting.
Follow the route markers and especially the riding direction. These singletracks can be very narrow, and meeting somebody coming the other way at speed would not end well.
Towards Harderwijk: Sand, Roots and Flow
After warming up around Ermelo we headed north towards Harderwijk, crossing the road near the military area before entering another section of forest.
That variation surprised us most. Firm forest soil suddenly turns into loose sand, dense pine forest opens into heathland and smooth flow is interrupted by roots and small natural features.
The Veluwe also has its own version of loose Alpine terrain: sand.
When it gets dry, some sections become properly soft. Your front wheel starts looking for its own route and a completely flat trail suddenly becomes technical. Keep some speed, stay relaxed and try not to bury the front wheel.
The official Harderwijk loop adds technical singletracks, short elevation changes and sections around the Leuvenumse forests and Beekhuizerzand.
A Short Detour and a Lot of Dutch Nature
Around Haspel and Strokel we passed the sports fields and reached the short red TREK Trail around the Bouw & Infrapark.
According to the official route builders it offers flow, berms and jumps, although we have to admit that this was not exactly the highlight of our ride. The current red loop is only around 1.1 km, so we were soon back onto the main trails anyway.
Much better.
Small jumps, roots, fast corners and little compressions quickly brought the smile back.
Eventually the forest opened onto the huge “Ermelosche Heide“. The riding here is less exciting, but the view more than makes up for it. After concentrating on trees and corners for kilometres, it is actually pretty nice to look up and realise how beautiful this part of the Netherlands is.
Motocross and Highly Scientific Sports Nutrition
One of our favourite parts came near MC Volgas Ermelo and its Circuit De Leemkuil.
The motocross club has been riding here since the 1960s, with its sand and clay circuit hidden between the forests of Ermelo. Mountain bikes, motocross bikes and a track in an old clay pit surrounded by trees – what’s not to like?
You can find the club here: MC Volgas Ermelo
It was also time for some highly scientific Dutch sports nutrition.
By which we mean snacks containing enough fat and sugar to keep us moving.
Energy gels are probably more efficient, but considerably less entertaining.
Around 45 KM – And Still Not Boring
By the time we rolled back towards Ermelo we had around 45 km on the clock.
That distance makes sense when combining most of the Ermelo and Harderwijk loops, and those kilometres feel very different from 45 km on a normal cycle path. You are almost constantly steering, pumping, climbing or trying to squeeze more speed out of the next section.
More importantly: it didn’t get boring.
We liked the route enough to ride large parts of it several more times during the week. In fact, knowing the trail makes it even better. Instead of wondering what is behind the next corner, you start thinking about how much less you can brake this time.
That is probably the biggest compliment we can give these trails.
What Bike for the Veluwe?
Leave the downhill bike at home.
A lightweight trail bike, downcountry bike, XC bike or hardtail is much more fun here. Around 100–130 mm of travel is plenty, combined with fast tyres that still have enough grip for roots and loose sand.
A lightweight bio bike is probably the sweet spot. There are no lifts and no shuttles, so you earn your kilometres yourself.
Putten, just south of Ermelo, also makes a great base for exploring this part of the Veluwe and connecting longer rides through the surrounding forests.
Freakynuts Verdict
The Veluwe MTB trails around Ermelo and Harderwijk are obviously not the Alps. And that’s exactly why we enjoyed them.
You are not chasing thousands of vertical metres. Instead, you try to carry speed through tight corners, pump every roller and make the most of every small descent.
Around 45 km of fast singletrack, forest, sand, roots and heathland made for a surprisingly proper day on the bike – and one we happily repeated during the rest of the week.
Downhill? No. Mountains? Definitely not. Fun? Absolutely.
If you are looking for mountain biking in the Netherlands, put the Veluwe on your list.
Sometimes you don’t need 2,000 metres of vertical.
You just need a good bike and a fast trail.
Useful Links
Official MTB routes Harderwijk & Ermelo: MTB Harderwijk & Ermelo
Ermelo – Blue Loop: MTB Route Ermelo
Harderwijk – Green Loop: MTB Route Harderwijk
Red TREK Trail: TREK Trail Harderwijk
MC Volgas Ermelo: MC Volgas
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