24 hours cycling through nature around Hilversum

When you arrive at Hilversum station, you can rent an OV-fiets right at the station plaza. Collect your mode of transport for the day's programme, which starts with a hearty breakfast at Theehuis 't Bluk. The perfect place to prepare for the tour. With the OV-fiets, it's less than a 15-minute ride from HIlversum station. During your cycling tour, you'll come past the Zuiderheide moor. Admire the wide-open landscape amid the green, yellow and purple flora.

Then take a seat on the terrace at Theehuis 't Bluk. From here, you have a wonderful view over the heather, as if you're admiring a landscape painting. Order a cup of coffee and a delicious breakfast. We recommend the breakfast platter, with a slice of French toast, a bowl of yoghurt and a croissant. A hearty breakfast is the perfect start to your cycle tour.  

• Open Monday to Sunday from 100:00 - 18:00. 
• Breakfast here starts at +/- € 7.50 p.p.

Zuiderheide 2, Laren, bluk.nl

Now that you've enjoyed a satisfying breakfast, it's time to explore the forests around Hilversum. Hop on the bike and head towards the Westerheide moor. Along the way, you can park your bike at Restaurant La Place, just a 5-minute ride from Theehuis 't Bluk. This is a perfect spot to stretch your legs along one of the well-marked hiking routes. Or you can also choose a path less taken. The 9-kilometre route starts and ends at La Place. It takes you through an undulating landscape through the grazing Highlander cattle. With a bit of luck, you might also spot some deer. And you can always orient yourself with the Hilversum television tower rising above the canopy in the distance.

Start: La Place, Westerheide 2, Laren

By now, you've probably worked up a hunger. So it's time for a lunch break. Hop on your bike and pedal to De Groene Afslag, at the end of the 'Gebed zonder End': an arrow-straight road between the Westerheide and Bussumerheide. De Groene Afslag is a unique location. It's where change makers gather: people who work towards a better, more sustainable world. And the lunch is deliciously vegetarian. After lunch, feel free to walk around, because they regularly host events. Like the organic market every first and last Sunday of the month. Don't miss the opportunity to browse the stalls. 

• Open weekdays from 09:00 - 18:00, and weekends from 10:00 - 17:00. 
• You can expect to pay around +/- € 10 p.p. for lunch.

Amersfoortsestraatweg 117, Laren, degroeneafslag.nl

After lunch, it's time to hop back on the bike. Sperwershof is a 25-minute ride from De Groene Afslag. The route takes you through the green forests north of Hilversum. the destination is an oasis of calm, in a landscape that is already idyllic. Sperwershof is an organic garden centre, with plenty of things to see and do. Stroll through the 3,500 m² tea garden, enjoy a cup of coffee on the terrace under the linden trees, or visit the picking garden behind the greenhouse. From June to September, you can pick your own vivid flowers or aromatic herbs. The shop sells seasonal vegetables, organic cheeses and honey from the garden's own beehives. It's definitely an inspiring stop along the route. 

• Open on Friday and Saturday from 09:00 - 17:00 (between March and December). 

Noordereinde 52, ’s Graveland, sperwershof.nl

If you're cycling on a weekday, you can visit the Land en Boschzigt and Proeflokaal de Serre instead.

Because Sperwershof is closed from Monday to Thursday. If you're cycling on a weekday, cycle on to Land en Boschzigt, an organic garden nursery just 8 minutes from Sperwershof. This is the oldest organic-dynamic nursery in the Netherlands. It also features a natural food shop in a charming garden shet, a vineyard and a care farm. There's also a great restaurant: Proeflokaal de Serre. Where the nursery's chickens once laid their eggs, you can now enjoy a home-made treat in the modern greenhouse.  

• Land en Boschzigt is open Tuesday to Saturday from 09:00 - 18:00. 
• Proeflokaal de Serre is open Wednesday to Saturday from 10:00 - 17:00, and Sunday from 11:00.

Leeuwenlaan 34, ’s-Graveland, landenboschzigt.nl/proeflokaaldeserre.nl

Restaurant Brambergen is just around the corner from Sperwershof. This is a favourite spot for lunch and dinner among hikers and cyclists. That's at least in part because of the location: the scenic Boekesteyn estate. It's a beautiful stately home near the Vecht river, surrounded by historic beech trees and romantic meandering paths. Before you sit down for dinner, make sure to take a stroll through the beautiful park landscape. What's on the menu at Brambergen? Healthy cauliflower-crust pizza with seasonal vegetables. Mackerel salad with apple and cucumber. But also venison stew and hamburgers. So there's something for every appetite.  

• Open Monday to Thursday from 10:00-18:00, and Friday to Sunday from 10:00 - 20:00. 
• Entrees start at around € 16.60. 

Noordereinde 54B, ’s-Graveland, brambergen.nl 

Now you've explored every corner of the forests around Hilversum. But if you don't feel like going home yet, you can spend the night in Hotel Villa Trompenberg. A lovely boutique hotel on the northern edge of Hilversum. From restaurant Brambergen, it's just a 15-minute ride. The chandeliers, old paintings and open hearths make it a romantic getaway. And in the morning you can enjoy breakfast in the verdant garden with a view of the fountain. It's a perfect place to relax after your cycling tour. And in the morning, it's only an 8-minute bike ride to Hilversum station.  

• You can book a cosy room for prices starting at € 125 per night. 

Christiaan de Wetlaan 1, Hilversum, villatrompenberg.com 

More cycling routes around Hilversum

If you're not done exploring the area, check out the other cycling routes available from VVV Hilversum. We recommend the Green Route: a 36-kilometre tour through the moors, dunes and forests around Hilversum. You can also hike for part of the route, if you like. The route is available for € 1.95 from VVV Hilversum, via the webshopor the shop at the station plaza.

^{Copy: Jeske van Steen - Insiders
Image: De Groene Afslag, Martin van Lokvene, Visit Gooi & Vechtstreek, Land en Boszigt, Restaurant Brambergen, Sperwershof, Theehuis 't Bluk, Shutterstock, Villa Trompenberg, Hilversum Marketing, Westerheide}