Holiday rental in Leusden: history, nature and special trails

Leusden combines military history with art, forests, heathland and a diverse cultural landscape. When choosing a holiday rental in Leusden, you can therefore weigh up historic discoveries, short themed trails, longer cycling routes and nature experiences.

Grebbelinie and history in the landscape

Remains of the Grebbelinie, an old military defence line dating from the 18th century, can still be found in Leusden in the form of embankments, casemates and bunkers, particularly around the Asschatterkeerkade. This is one of the older surviving elements of the Grebbelinie, dates from 1745 and is 2,500 metres long. The museum bunker on Langesteeg is a German bunker built in 1944–1945 and converted into a small museum at the end of 2014.

The burial mounds on the Leusderhei and near Oud Leusden also recall the area’s first settled inhabitants from the Bronze Age onwards. At the historic site of the Nationaal Monument Kamp Amersfoort, the memory of around 47,000 prisoners is kept alive. In the underground museum and reconstructed courtyard, visitors can learn about the history of the camp.

The Sovjet Ereveld Experience uses a VR experience to tell the story of Soviet soldier Vladimir Botenko and the impact of the war on his family. A time slot must be booked, and visitors are required to arrive ten minutes before the start.

Art, theatre and regional insights

Museum M.A.C. House Leusden is a small museum featuring modern art and special installations. Theater de Tuin offers music, cabaret, art and film. The Historische Kring Leusden organises lectures, walks and exhibitions, complementing the historic sites with changing ways of engaging with the region.

Themed walking trails

The 1.5-kilometre Filosofenpad ISVW leads across the ISVW estate and through the Oud-Leusden woodland and heathland. QR codes introduce ten figures from the history of philosophy through audio content. The Schutpad, the first Klompenpad walking trail, runs through the park woodland surrounding the manor house of Landgoed De Boom.

On the walking trail next to Melkveebedrijf Wellom, walkers can look into the cowshed and talk to the farmers about the business. Farm Visit welcomes groups to a modern dairy farm and organises tours and packages for business, bachelor, family and international groups.

Landscape between woodland, heathland and cultivated countryside

After the war, the Asschatterkeerkade was developed into an ecological area inhabited by bats, mammals and up to forty different bird species. Landgoed De Boom is a diverse and largely preserved cultural landscape between Leusden, Woudenberg, Achterveld and De Glind.

Landgoed Den Treek-Henschoten lies at the transition from the Utrechtse Heuvelrug to the Gelderse Vallei and covers almost 2,200 hectares of woodland, natural areas, farmland and heathland. Visitors can explore the estate on foot and independently. For cyclists, the Treeker mountain bike route network consists of two interconnected trails: a 24.4-kilometre blue route through Den Treek and a 16.1-kilometre red route through Henschoten. The different lengths make it easier to plan your day.

The Oudste torentje van Nederland at Vlooswijkseweg 2 in Leusden is a Rijksmonument and probably the oldest tower in the Netherlands. During special opening times, the tower can be climbed, allowing visitors to enjoy the view. More local information: Achterveld.

For the higher-level travel overview: Leusden.