The best hikes from bus stations in Wekeromse Zand

The Kune Kune pig is a friendly and very people-oriented breed. That's why they're so well-suited to petting zoos. This breed was originally kept by the Maori tribe of New Zealand. The name Kune Kune means "fat and round." Kune Kune pigs can also have earlobes on the underside of their heads, called piri piri. These earlobes serve no function. Kune Kunes also have a fairly thick coat, which can come in a variety of colors: creamy white, black, ginger (orange), and piebald. Source and more information: www.kinderboerderijgouda.nl

At the start of the Valkschepad, you immediately step into history with a view of the beautiful Iron Age farm, food storage sheds, Celtic fields, and various information boards.

On the Timeline Staircase in the Middelpunt nature reserve, you'll walk through time. From the deepest point in the Zandgroeve (sand quarry), you'll climb up to the Middelpunt. Climbing through Time Your journey through time begins with an object that represents the Ice Age, 140,000 years ago. As you continue your climb, you'll pass figures like a saber-toothed tiger, a reindeer, and a knight. Each represents a different era. The higher you climb, the later the era. Source and more information: www.bezoek-ede.nl

The use of the Celtic Fields ceased in the Roman period, around 100 AD. The fields were abandoned, and many settlements were relocated and redeveloped. Moreover, the small, square fields were unsuitable for the ploughing that came into use at that time. Around the settlements, fields called engenders, enken, or essen (fields raised with manure) developed. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, many heathlands, and with them the numerous ridge-like fields, were plowed under. The ridge-like fields that survived this fate can now only be recognized in aerial photographs as slight undulations with a checkerboard pattern in the landscape. Source and more information: middenvannederland.nl

The Celtic Fields should not be seen as the reclamation of pristine forest, but rather as a new land division made possible by the use of iron. At the same time, it was a dire necessity due to soil impoverishment and drift. Hedges were built around the fences along these prehistoric fields, and stumps of roots, branches, and stones were deposited. Shrubs were also planted. These barriers also served as windbreaks that trapped drifting sand, gradually creating the low banks that are still visible, especially from the air. Cattle provided fertilizer, as the soil was poor. In the fields, farmers grew one type of vegetable or grain, and the next year something else, such as barley, spelt, einkorn wheat, and other grains. Buckwheat, beans, and oilseeds were also grown there. Source and more information: middenvannederland.nl

Can be climbed in spring and summer (check opening times)

Informative board about the area

We started our walk at the Het Schuurtje Country Shop in Lunteren. It's a place worth a walk in itself. Imagine a charming farm shop, a tea garden where you'll want to linger, a friendly welcome, and plenty of souvenirs and treats. You can park on the side of the road, and honestly, we could already picture ourselves sitting in the sun, but the route was eagerly awaiting us.