Netherlands > Hardenberg – Ommen – Voorhout

Today was already the last day of the walk. By half past seven, we were having breakfast, and at eight o’clock we set off. We wanted to arrive in Ommen on time so that we could be back in Sassenheim around dinner time. Today’s stage was also the shortest of all the days. The section from Hardenberg to Ommen is only 20 kilometers. We walked out of Hardenberg and, via a winding and varied route, arrived in Rheeze. Like Den Hool, Rheeze is a picturesque village with nostalgic old farms surrounding the Brink. After Rheeze, we approached the forests again. Just as we entered the woods, we came across a picnic table. The table was free, but a walking group was just doing their stretching exercises.

Netherlands - Farm Rheeze

We paid little attention to them and made our coffee at the table. After the short stop, we walked straight through the forest toward Ommen. When crossing the Vecht (near a weir), we looked for a suitable place for lunch. Since there were no benches available, we sat on a small grassy area and ate our sandwiches and soup. Ironically, there was a bench just around the corner in the hamlet of Junne. From Junne, we entered the woods again, heading toward the finish. By now, the sun had disappeared, and the sky was growing increasingly overcast. About three kilometers before Ommen, it began to drizzle. We decided to put rain covers over our backpacks, but it wasn’t yet necessary to put on our ponchos. With a light drizzle, we approached Ommen. Just before Ommen, we decided to leave the route and cut across to the station. This allowed us to just catch the train at ten minutes to two to Zwolle. In Zwolle, we transferred to the Intercity to The Hague and then to the local train to Voorhout. Shortly after half past four, we arrived at Voorhout station. In total, we had walked 170 kilometers of the Pieterpad and are determined to complete the remaining 290 kilometers soon.