Westerborkpad

The Westerborkpad is a linear trail stretching from Amsterdam to the former Westerbork transit camp in the province of Drenthe, tracing the route along which tens of thousands of Jewish deportees were transported during the Second World War. The historical weight of the journey is ever-present, yet the landscape itself offers a quiet, meditative beauty: low-lying peat meadows, heathlands dusted with purple in late summer, pine forests, and small Drenthe villages largely unchanged in character for generations. The terrain is predominantly flat with only gentle undulation, and the surface alternates between sandy forest tracks, compacted earth paths, and short stretches of village road; waterproof footwear is advisable after rain, particularly on the peat and heath sections. Towns and villages appear at regular enough intervals that resupply is never a pressing concern, and accommodation — ranging from B&Bs to simple campsites — is available throughout the route without requiring advance booking outside peak summer. Spring and autumn provide the most comfortable walking conditions, though the mild Dutch climate makes the trail walkable year-round; winter days are short but the heathlands have a stark beauty of their own. Waymarking follows the Dutch LAW long-distance network with ANWB posts and is reliable throughout. Because the trail is one-directional, plan your transport logistics between start and finish in advance — the Netherlands' excellent rail and bus network makes this straightforward.

Distances, elevation and times are approximate; follow waymarks and local conditions on the trail.