The 14.5-kilometre Beukenburgerpad is a Klompenpad walking trail through the rural outskirts of Groenekan and De Bilt. The route is near Utrecht and runs along the boundary between the Utrechtse Heuvelrug and the Veenweidegebied. The landscape is characterised by the slagenlandschap, historic country estates, grand avenues and Fort Voordorp.

Walking trails with different types of waymarking

The Beukenburgerpad starts at the car park on Groenekanseweg, by the A27 viaduct. As local conditions at the starting point may change, check the latest information before setting off.

The other trails also differ in their waymarking: Beukenburg is on Beukenburgerlaan in Groenekan and has several walking trails, but no marked routes. The marked “Utrecht te Voet, Groenekan en verder” route passes through the Bos van Voordaan on its way to Groenekan. In spring, daffodils brighten the forest. Another option is the Groenekanroute, which passes a 19th-century fort belonging to the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie.

There are cycling routes in Groenekan and Westbroek through the polder landscape and past features of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie. These include Fort Ruigenhoek in the Noorderpark Ruigenhoek nature area.

Nature by the water and seasonal swimming

The bird-rich Hooge Kampse Plas lies between Groenekan, De Bilt and Utrecht and is part of the Natuur Netwerk Nederland (NNN). A paved path for walkers and cyclists runs along part of the lake. A permanently installed binocular viewer and several benches offer views of the water; facilities and wildlife sightings may change.

Swimming is possible throughout the season at Zwembad De Kikker, an open-air natural swimming pool in Groenekan. Season dates and access rules may change. Check them before your visit if you are planning a day of swimming.

Mill, monuments and local history

The Korenmühle Molen Geesina was built in 1843 as a Dutch-style windmill on a gallery base and was then named “De Groene Kan”. Utrechts Landschap restored the mill in 2011 and 2012 and fitted it with sails. It was able to turn and grind grain again after that. The Copijn family had run a tree nursery in Groenekan since the 18th century and later developed into landscape architects.

The parkland of the Voordaan estate also tells a story of garden design: it was laid out in the landscape style around 1850, based on a design by Jan Copijn. Its described features include a winding pond and predominantly oak and beech trees, along with groups of smaller trees and shrubs.

The Nederlands-hervormde kerk van Groenekan is a municipal monument. It was built in 1952 on behalf of the church administration and came into use in 1953; its architectural style is traditionalist. Veldhoeve at Groenekanseweg 62 is also a municipal monument. W. Grothe van Schellach, owner of the Voordaan estate, had it built in 1898. The building at Groenekanseweg 85 in Groenekan, Voordaan, has been a Rijksmonument, or Dutch national monument, since 17 September 2001.

The B-17 monument commemorates the emergency landing of an American bomber on 28 May 1944 in the meadows south of Groenekan, in which three crew members lost their lives. It stands at the corner of Versteeglaan and Groenekanseweg in the municipality of De Bilt. Mill history, buildings and landscape offer different ways to explore the area.

Discover more destinations: Westbroek, Bilthoven, De Bilt.

Back to the main travel overview: De Bilt.