Monday 28 February 2022, Haarzuilens (Vleuten-De Meern), province Utrecht, approx. 8.5 km… Variation on the route (11km) suggested by Natuurmonumenten as we hiked the most southern circle earlier. If your looking for a typical Dutch landscape you’ve come to the right place. Fields and water, wide open views with a lot of sky and a lot of history as this area was already occupied during the Iron Age. Note however that Natuurmonumenten, the organization now managing this area is transforming the landscape; lots of young trees have been planted and in the future there will be some serious forests here as well. Apart from that it’s already a varied and interesting hike, circling around the Estate Haarzuilens with its’ beautiful fairy-tale 20-century castle; visiting this castle and it’s gardens is definitely recommended. The track is extremely easy going, you can avoid potential muddy parts if you like but you’ll miss out on some interesting details and developments.
