Outdoor art on the North Veluwe
Nunspeet, Elspeet
Vast forests, heathlands, winding country roads, cute villages and stately country estates alternate pleasantly on the Northern Veluwe. No wonder this natural setting has inspired many artists. Between 1880 and 1950, a large active group of artists emerged here and the town of Nunspeet became a true artists' village. Well-known painters such as Jan van Vuuren, Willy Martens and Arthur Briët mainly created colourful impressions of nature and country life. Some of these works now hang on the walls of the still very young North Veluwe Museum in Nunspeet. On the way across the northern Veluwe, you will also come across great outdoor art, just like that, in nature or along a shopping street. Upon entering the artists' village, for example, you cycle past a beautiful little sculpture of a mouflon standing completely in the attack position. Every muscle on its back seems to be tightened. The sculpture was made by Cornelis Johan Vrendenberg who founded the Free Academy of Visual Arts in Nunspeet, together with painter Jaap Hiddink, after which more artists were attracted by the place. Perhaps the best-known work of art in Nunspeet is that of Eibertje, created by Ingeborg ten Hoopen in 2003. The historical farmer's wife Eibertje walked across woods and heathland from Vierhouten to the Market in Nunspeet every weekend to sell eggs. She was not afraid of the ghosts, ghouls and elves that would wander there, and walked the route so often that a kind of path was created, literally paving the way for more fellow villagers. This Eibertjespad still exists today. In Vierhouten itself, sculptor Sander Boom's cleverly made woodcutting works shine through. He was not only inspired by the Veluwe nature, but also made his objects from material from that nature. Especially impressive are two artful benches he sawed entirely from old trees. Perhaps not art with a big K, but very impressive nonetheless. On this cycle route, you should also stop off regularly as you cycle past one of the wall poems that are posted here in all kinds of places in the villages and sometimes in the middle of nature. Be inspired by the fine poetry of poet Bergman, for instance, who tells about a beautiful region he travelled to in his poem Reisbrief. He even compares it to paradise and ends his poem with the line: 'And everything else here is beautiful, it sometimes gets too powerful for me!' He must have been inspired by the North Veluwe. This Premium cycle route has been compiled by our editor: Wieger Favier.
| Directions | Distance | Total distance | |
|
Start: Stakenbergweg , 8075 RE Nunspeet | 33.2 KM | |
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From
73
to
88
|
1259 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head southeast on Schapendrift | 1.3 KM | ||
| You are now at section 88 | 0 M | ||
|
From
88
to
89
|
2058 M | 2.1 KM | |
| Head southeast on Schapendrift | 1.9 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Nachtegaalweg | 142 M | ||
| You are now at section 89 | 0 M | ||
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From
89
to
21
|
543 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head southwest on Nachtegaalweg (N310) | 543 M | ||
| You are now at section 21 | 0 M | ||
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From
21
to
4
|
534 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head east on Staverdenseweg (N310) | 435 M | ||
| Turn right onto Uddelerweg (N310) | 99 M | ||
| You are now at section 04 | 0 M | ||
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From
4
to
78
|
79 M | 0.1 KM | |
| Head east on Vierhouterweg | 79 M | ||
| You are now at section 78 | 0 M | ||
|
From
78
to
40
|
1167 M | 1.2 KM | |
| Head north on Vierhouterweg | 1.2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 40 | 0 M | ||
|
From
40
to
14
|
3446 M | 3.4 KM | |
| Head north on Bosrand | 30 M | ||
| Turn right | 3.4 KM | ||
| You are now at section 14 | 0 M | ||
|
From
14
to
15
|
996 M | 1 KM | |
| Head north | 75 M | ||
| Keep right at the fork | 921 M | ||
| You are now at section 15 | 0 M | ||
|
From
15
to
16
|
989 M | 1 KM | |
| Head southeast on Nunspeterweg | 564 M | ||
| Turn left onto Ganzenakkers | 12 M | ||
| Turn right onto Nunspeterweg | 290 M | ||
| Turn left onto Gortelseweg | 123 M | ||
| You are now at section 16 | 0 M | ||
|
From
16
to
18
|
2702 M | 2.7 KM | |
| Head northeast on Tongerenseweg | 605 M | ||
| Keep straight onto Tongerenseweg | 2.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 18 | 0 M | ||
|
From
18
to
29
|
4854 M | 4.9 KM | |
| Head northwest on Pas-Opweg | 2.7 KM | ||
| Make a slight left | 2.2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 29 | 0 M | ||
|
From
29
to
13
|
2726 M | 2.7 KM | |
| Head north | 482 M | ||
| Keep left at the fork | 188 M | ||
| Turn left | 301 M | ||
| Turn left onto Lagerwey Bospad | 1.8 KM | ||
| You are now at section 13 | 0 M | ||
|
From
13
to
40
|
1309 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head northwest on Vennenpad | 905 M | ||
| Turn left onto Plesmanlaan | 26 M | ||
| Turn right | 21 M | ||
| Turn left | 96 M | ||
| Turn right | 35 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 41 M | ||
| Turn left onto Plesmanlaan | 34 M | ||
| Turn right onto Elspeterweg | 87 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Stationsplein | 64 M | ||
| You are now at section 40 | 0 M | ||
|
From
40
to
83
|
1405 M | 1.4 KM | |
| Head west on Stationsplein | 16 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto F.A. Molijnlaan | 30 M | ||
| Turn right onto Stationslaan | 521 M | ||
| Turn left onto Harderwijkerweg | 805 M | ||
| Turn right | 33 M | ||
| You are now at section 83 | 0 M | ||
|
From
83
to
57
|
2790 M | 2.8 KM | |
| Head north | 110 M | ||
| Exit the roundabout onto Nijverheidsweg | 150 M | ||
| Turn right onto Jan Topweg | 880 M | ||
| Turn right onto Onder de Bos | 280 M | ||
| Turn left onto Schotweg | 15 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Berkensingel | 1.4 KM | ||
| You are now at section 57 | 0 M | ||
|
From
57
to
71
|
3230 M | 3.2 KM | |
| Head southeast on Brandsweg | 921 M | ||
| Make a slight right to stay on Brandsweg | 2.3 KM | ||
| You are now at section 71 | 0 M | ||
|
From
71
to
72
|
1122 M | 1.1 KM | |
| Head southwest on Oude Leuvenumsepad | 846 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Oude Leuvenumsepad | 276 M | ||
| You are now at section 72 | 0 M | ||
|
From
72
to
73
|
1950 M | 2 KM | |
| Head southwest on Stakenbergweg | 2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 73 | 0 M |