Imboschroute

This woodsy jaunt starts at Rheden, east of Arnhem, then heads north through the heath and forest of the Veluwe National Park almost all the way to Apeldoorn. The open spaces of the Rozendaalse Veld and the deep woods of the brook-laced Imbosch make for a serene ride. For an attraction there's the architectural oddity of the Posbank pavilion with adjacent sun-drenched terrace café.

•  Route: Rheden - De Steeg - Rozendaalse Veld (via LF-4) - Imbos - Loenermark - Apeldoorn
•  Distance: 35km
•  Train access: Arnhem, Velp, Rheden, Apeldoorn


(original date of this entry: Nov 8, 2019)
Today is Friday and the weather is nice though chilly of course. I decided to take my keuzedag (day of free travel on NS rail) and go back to Arnhem to continue the Imboschroute … In fact, last time I only did the initial bit, east of Velp, then chose to proceed around the Giesplas and along the IJssel to Doesburg. I thought about venturing up into the Veluwezoom at the conclusion of that circuit but was too knackered to climb, and headed straight back to Arnhem and Battle of Arnhem commemoration.

Now the train is rolling out of Arnhem, looking at a clutch of modern office buildings and humble attached oatmeal brick dwellings, and it just occurred to me that I haven't paid my bike supplement. I have approximately eight minutes to reach my destination of Rheden to elude the conductor's control check and a possible fat fine. This is the real Netherlands, grim looking commuters and students on their daily rounds, most of them pale and blondish.

This tour has me climbing up into the forest, reaching the Netherlands' highest point outside Limburg and supposedly spectacular panorama.

Coming into the forest

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From De Steeg, turn left through village and very soon up into the Nationaal Park Veluwezoom, which is immediately prachtig and rustig. Not too steep a climb. An asphalt path littered with wet

Queen Beatrix, fietser, at Posbank

brown leaves, the sun peeking through the mostly yellow-leaf branches of birches and oaks, the sweet smell of decay rising up around you. You come out of the forest at kp 25, then a left turn takes you to the Posbank, a modern architecture glass enclosure of an old house that burned down. It appears that the architect, B Mastenbroek, incorporated trees and boulders within. Beside it is a lovely terrace café that gets the full benefit of the sunshine. Within the structure, supported by massive logs, is a full-service café with supposedly panoramic views from the upper level and €6.50 soup. A popular spot today.

Look out for mud

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Outstanding ride through the sandy bits of the Rozendaalse Veld. It is an open landscape of mossy hills backed by rows of pines, popular with dog walkers. Very fun to glide through these hills on an asphalt strip, less smooth on the climb up to kp 17, which threads through a strip of stubby pines. A handful of cyclists out on this fine day, mostly racers. The next part, to kp 32, takes me into the Imbos proper and a sign warns of muddy bits.

Rheden to Apeldoorn via Imbosch

It isn't bad though, just a few sandy stretches that are slightly perilous. The ride is superb along a rough road within birch, pine and oak forest. This opens quite surprisingly on a flat open expanse bordered by woods, the Loenermark.

Loenermark

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At kp 32 I choose to leave the prescribed route and strike north for Apeldoorn. This turns out well—I am plying a nice packed-dirt trail on a long downhill stretch through a forest of magical fall colors (to kp 87). At this remove it is silent. The climbing has been fine, not too precipitous. At a crossroads I encounter no fewer than six cyclists, all going in different directions.


The fietspad to kp 51 strikes northeast down a broad pebbly trail beside a brook, its banks strewn with brown leaves and needles. Below the spindly trees the floor is carpeted with ferns. Brooks like this one, reads an information board, were dug by hand sometime between 1600 and 1800. The water that coursed through them was used mainly to power mills. 

Then I noticed something about the little cascade here being the Netherlands' highest waterfall (Niagara it ain't), and I realized I'd been at this very spot before with Alice. At that very same picnic table. 

Although dusk falls early at this time of year I am confident of reaching Apeldoorn. I have not seen anyone at all out this way.

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After the waterfall it's a long gradual descent down a corridor like a tree-lined boulevard, the dirt trail between continuous strands of reddish leaves. On the way to kp 51 there is a perilous crossing at the N786 — almost constant traffic and no traffic light. Then you continue down the red-leaf path flanked by golden trees. Finally I cross the Apeldoorns Kanaal and turn left to follow its east bank along a cycling strip, all the way to Apeldoorn pleasantly removed from the traffic that moves along the west bank. I don my headphones as dusk falls and revel in the sheer physical delight of cycling swiftly into the city. I can say that this entire bike ride was pleasurable, from start to finish. 

Outside Apeldoorn

[Another option: Deventer to Zutphen along the IJssel (LF-3), then to Arnhem via the forest (LF-4)]