Etappe 10

Etappe 10: Ommen - Hellendoorn

What can we say? From a public transport perspective, this was probably the most complicated stage of our Pieterpad journey so far.

Getting to Ommen is straightforward by train, but Hellendoorn is a different story. It is served by just a single bus connection, which does not operate on Sundays. While there is a railway station within somewhat reasonable distance, walking there would add another 30–40 minutes after an already long hiking day.

So, for the first time - but most likely not the last - we brought a bike.

Because we left later than planned on Saturday, we arrived at the Albert Heijn in Hellendoorn around midday, picked up lunch, locked the bike, and drove to Ommen. Since Ommen railway station was where we had finished the previous stage, that's where this hike began. Naturally, we first grabbed a coffee to go from a café near the station.

A small tip: don't. We ended up carrying our empty coffee cups for kilometres because trash bins were (yet again) scarce along the route. By the end of the day, those cups had appeared in countless photos. Lesson learned.

Once on the trail, though, all logistical frustrations disappeared. This stage passes through Nationaal Park Sallandse Heuvelrug, one of the most beautiful landscapes we've encountered on the Pieterpad so far. We even received notifications on our phones about nearby hills: a rare sight in the Netherlands! The gently rolling heathland, forest paths, and elevated viewpoints offer scenery that feels quite different from much of the rest of the country.

There were also plenty of places to stop for a break. We made another questionable decision by buying milkshakes to go, which resulted in even more kilometres carrying empty cups, but at least the views made up for it - and it was refreshing on a warm summer day.

The route is well marked and quickly became one of our favourite Pieterpad stages. If you're only planning to hike a single section of the trail, this one deserves a place at the top of your list.

We reached Hellendoorn around 6 p.m. I stayed with Mai and our backpacks while Boris cycled back to Ommen to collect the car. Fortunately, the wait was only about an hour. There were a few cafés nearby where we could have relaxed, but after a full day in the heat we were both too tired to do much besides sit and wait .. by a bench in the center of town.

Since we booked accommodation at the last minute, we spent the night at Van der Valk Almelo. To be honest, the Van der Valk hotels have become something of a default choice for us during Pieterpad. They almost always offer comfortable rooms that welcome dogs, a good breakfast, and spa facilities (perfect after a long hiking day). Hotel prices in the Netherlands have become quite steep in recent years, so finding good value often comes down to luck. The cuter B&Bs also book up fast, and since our plans change by the weather, commitment is an issue. If you're travelling with camping gear and enjoy it, you'll have many more affordable options along most of the sections.

The heat, humidity, and surprisingly hilly terrain took more out of Mai than we expected. Because of that, we didn't complete Stage 11 as originally planned the following day, but that's a story for the next chapter.

Lessons learned:

🚌 Transport tip: If you willing to hike some extra, you can do this by public transpotation only, but diffiult to combine with etappe 11.

☕ Food tip: Lunch options available

🌲 Mood: Beautiful!!!

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