Along the Pieterpad: walking and camping

All of Holland Walks. It was already a popular activity among campers, but due to COVID, hiking as a leisure activity has skyrocketed. That's why we pay attention to the longest and most fun: the Pieterpad.

The Pieterpad is a Long Distance Walking Route (LAW-9) of just under 500 kilometers. The route runs from Pieterburen in Groningen (near the Wadden Sea) to the Sint-Pietersberg in South Limburg. It was invented by two hiking enthusiasts: Bertje Jens from Groningen and her friend Toos Goorhuis-Tjalsma from Tilburg. When Bertje retired, they put together – and walked – the route in five years (1978-1983). To do this, they linked existing hiking trails together via new routes they discovered themselves.

The Pieterpad is a walking route of just under 500 kilometers. A complicated job, because the friends wanted to avoid footpaths along motorways and through industrial areas as much as possible. The Pieterpad takes you over the smallest roads and paths, as unpaved as possible and is marked with red and white signs on posts, traffic signs and trees.

26 stages

The Pieterpad is divided into 26 stages (between 15 and 22 kilometers) that are extensively described in two walking guides. In the first 13 stages you walk 236 kilometers past Wierden and Borgen, through the city of Groningen, over the Hondsrug via peat colonies to the Vechtdal, the Sallandse Heuvelrug and the Achterhoek.

Another 13 stages follow in the second part. You pass Vorden castle near the town of the same name where you can also photograph the Pieterpad plaque. Then you pass Hoog Elten, the Duivelsberg and the Mookerheide. Then you walk through the beautiful Maasheggen landscape and pass through the Krijtland. The Pieterpad ends at the viewing platform of the ENCI quarry: the limestone quarry near Sint-Pietersberg, where the First Dutch Cement Industry (ENCI) started in 1926 with the production of limestone – 'marl' – for the production of cement.

If the 500 km of the Pieterpad are not enough, you can simply continue from the ENCI quarry with the GR5 that runs via the Ardennes and the Alps to Marseille, on the Mediterranean Sea.

You must do it

The two Pieterpad guides are published by Nivon: from Pieterburen to Vorden (part-1) and from Vorden to Maastricht (part-2). For sale at bol.com. There are also walking apps where the GPS in your phone keeps you on the right route.

Look at that

In 2006, a bronze plaque was unveiled at Vorden Castle, as a tribute to the designers of the Pieterpad, Bertje Jens and Toos Goorhuis-Tjalsma. There is also a plaque in the Sleenerzand forestry.

You must try

There are no fewer than 61 campsites along the Pieterpad route - you can find them at www.pieterpad.nl. From the campsite you take public transport to the starting point and walk back to the campsite.

Wide range of campers and caravans

Want to explore the Pieterpad from your own camper or caravan? Our website contains a large and current range of new and used campers and caravans. View the offer here. Even more interesting camping areas view here.