Heading East
The Route
Heading East follows a 600 kilometer long, carefully designed bikepacking route through forests, rolling hills, quiet backroads, and scenic cycling paths across the Netherlands and Germany.
The adventure both starts and finishes in the beautiful village of Zalk, nestled along the banks of the River IJssel. This charming Dutch village provides the perfect setting to begin—and celebrate the end of—your Heading East journey.
This is a fully self-supported adventure. Participants are responsible for their own navigation, food, accommodation, and any mechanical repairs along the way.
Throughout the route, you'll visit official checkpoints where you'll collect a stamp on your brevet card. Collect every stamp to complete the challenge and earn your place as an official Heading East finisher.
The journey takes you through four distinctive regions:
- Sallandse Heuvelrug – rolling heathlands, forests, and panoramic views.
- Teutoburger Wald – challenging climbs, historic landscapes, and endless woodland.
- The Veluwe – vast forests, heathlands, and quiet cycling roads.
It's about embracing the journey, discovering new landscapes, and challenging yourself along the way.
More than a ride. More than a race. It's an adventure.
Salandse Heuvelrug
The journey begins in one of the Netherlands' most beautiful national parks.
The Sallandse Heuvelrug is known for its rolling heathlands, dense forests, and surprisingly challenging climbs. Quiet roads wind between purple heather fields while panoramic views reward every ascent.
Keep an eye out for the Scottish Highland cattle and the rare black grouse that call this landscape home.
Your first checkpoint awaits somewhere within this unique area. Collect your stamp before continuing east toward Germany.
This section sets the tone for the adventure: beautiful scenery, steady climbing, and the excitement of what still lies ahead.
Teutoburger wald
Crossing into Germany, the landscape changes dramatically.
The Teutoburger Wald offers long forest climbs, winding ridgelines, historic villages, and endless stretches beneath towering beech trees. It's a region rich in history, famous for the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, but today it's a paradise for cyclists.
The terrain becomes more demanding here, rewarding patient pacing and steady legs.
Hidden along this section you'll find another official checkpoint where you'll receive your next stamp before continuing your journey.
Take time to enjoy the forests, viewpoints, and peaceful roads—this is one of the highlights of Heading East.
Veluwe
The final major region takes riders across the vast landscapes of the Veluwe.
Here you'll experience endless forests, drifting sand dunes, quiet heathlands, and some of the finest cycling roads in the Netherlands. Wildlife is never far away, with red deer, wild boar, and foxes often appearing during the early morning or evening hours.
Although the finish is getting closer, the Veluwe still demands focus. The rolling terrain and long forest sections can be deceptively challenging after many hours in the saddle.
Visit the final checkpoint, collect your last stamp, and enjoy the closing kilometres of your Heading East adventure.
Every stamp collected marks another chapter of your journey—and every finisher has a story worth telling.
The map shown below is a preview of the planned route and is intended to give you an impression of the adventure ahead. The final GPX route will be published closer to the event date
