MTB Ruinen
(19.6 km)
Discover the beautiful nature of the Dwingelderveld with the MTB route Ruinen! This varied mountain bike route takes you through vast forests, heathland and quiet nature areas around the atmospheric village of Ruinen. The route offers a nice combination of sporting challenge and enjoying the peace and space that Drenthe is so famous for.
Along the way, you cycle on fast forest trails, narrow single tracks and varied surfaces that provide a dynamic ride for both novice and experienced mountain bikers. Technical curves, slight height differences and open stretches make the route challenging and accessible at the same time.
The MTB route Ruinen introduces you to the unique landscape of National Park Dwingelderveld, where nature and adventure come together perfectly. Whether you choose a relaxed tour or a sporty workout: this route offers every mountain biker a wonderful experience in the middle of nature.
Parking
You can start the route at:
- 't...
Discover the beautiful nature of the Dwingelderveld with the MTB route Ruinen! This varied mountain bike route takes you through vast forests, heathland and quiet nature areas around the atmospheric village of Ruinen. The route offers a nice combination of sporting challenge and enjoying the peace and space that Drenthe is so famous for.
Along the way, you cycle on fast forest trails, narrow single tracks and varied surfaces that provide a dynamic ride for both novice and experienced mountain bikers. Technical curves, slight height differences and open stretches make the route challenging and accessible at the same time.
The MTB route Ruinen introduces you to the unique landscape of National Park Dwingelderveld, where nature and adventure come together perfectly. Whether you choose a relaxed tour or a sporty workout: this route offers every mountain biker a wonderful experience in the middle of nature.
Parking
You can start the route at:
- 't Boshuys Echten, Ruinerweg 7, 7932 PD Echten Plan route
- Buitencentrum De Poort, Kloosterstraat 12, 7963AH Ruinen Plan route
- Holiday park Westenbergen Oshaarseweg 24, 7932PX Echten Plan route
Signposting
The route is signposted using white signs with red print of the international MTB sign (triangle with two circles).
Connection routes
Connection routes to other MTB routes are mostly marked with a black print and sometimes with a two-colour print. Click here for all information on MTB routes.
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MTB Ruinen route sign
MTB Ruinen route sign
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Connection route sign
Connection route sign
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Forestry Ruinen
Forestry Ruinen
Boswachterij Ruinen, a 1,000-hectare forest and heathland area, was created in 1940 from a former peat, heath and shifting sand area. Largely consisting of conifers, with limited present...
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Upper moorland estate
Upper moorland estate
A beautiful country estate surrounded by an English landscape garden, hidden like paradise in the woods of Staatsbosbeheer Ruinen, between Meppel and Hoogeveen. An inspiring place with excellent facilities and care!
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Description
Discover the region
Only about seventy years ago, the area around Ruinen was a 'wild and empty' landscape: vast heathlands, sand and moorlands, untouched and often inaccessible. In the 1930s, that picture changed. The Limburg mines needed a lot of wood to shore up the mine galleries, so large coniferous forests were planted in Drenthe. The straight, fast-growing trunks were perfect for this.
Today, those forests, together with ponds and sand drifts, form a stunning backdrop for cycling and walking tours. Forest, water and open plains alternate in this 1,200-hectare area, making every route feel different.
Yet there are also places where nature has retained its old face. At the Gijsselter Plassen and the Echtenerzand you still experience the atmosphere of the Drenthe of almost a century ago: quiet, rugged and wonderfully unspoilt.
More about the route
This route winds through the forest area and has been specially built for mountain bikers. Wide straight paths constantly alternate with exciting single tracks, making for a surprisingly technical and varied trail. As there are hardly any height differences in this area, the route remains flat and therefore accessible to everyone. Along the way, you enjoy beautiful vistas across the heathland. It is an enjoyable ride that is not too tough, but offers plenty of riding pleasure.
An added bonus: all mountain bike routes in the municipalities of De Wolden and Westerveld are linked by special connecting routes. These are clearly marked with black markings, so you can easily extend your ride or discover another route.