Bike Tour: Family budget: A Right Royal Route! - 8 days

Your first hostel is in a stately manor house (1830) on an enchanting country estate called Rhijnauwen, just west of Bunnik. The manor house is called ‘de Ridderhofstad’ meaning ‘The Knight’s Court'. It stands on the banks of a river in a really idyllic location.  When you have finished exploring the grounds, opt to storm Fort Vechten   – a great place to go for a romp. Alternatively, rent a canoe  and go for a paddle. 

Heading south via Odijk, Cothen and ‘t Goy. On your very first cycling day, you’ll be cycling through flat countryside. Peace and quiet prevail amongst the cropfields and meadows. 

Heading east via Austerlitz and Doorn.
Today’s tour is a lovely and varied one. After starting off in the countryside you will arrive at the castles and country houses around the town of Doorn where you could opt to visit Huis Doorn to find out what the 18th-century nobility lived like in Holland.  In the afternoon the woods await. Go to Driebergen for a well-earned ice cream or continue to the Pyramid of Austerlitz, a strange monument to Napoleon (1804) and a nice place to stop for your packed lunch. It stands at the highest point of the Utrecht Hill Ridge and looks like a mini stepped Egyptian pyramid with a tower on top. Sporting cyclists could continue another couple of kilometers to a lake called Henschotermeer where you can go for a swim.  Possible extra activities for children include a visit to Recreatiepark Het Rosarium (midget golf, pedal go-karts, trampolines and more) in Doorn and the playground and funfair at the Pyramid of Austerlitz.

Via Bilthoven , Den Dolder, Lage Vuursche.
Today you will cycle from Bunnik to your second hostel in Soest enjoying safe, good-quality cycle paths. At about two thirds of the way is a good place to pause for a break. Lage Vuursche, a picturesque hamlet in the middle of the forest, has long been a favourite stopping place for hikers and cyclists and it gets especially busy at weekends. There are several restaurants and inns, most of which have specialized in pancakes! We think it’s a great place for cycling families to top up and look around.

Via Soestdijk Palace and Lage Vuursche. Do you know who the King of the Netherlands is? His name is King William Alexander. He and Queen Maxima and three little princesses live in The Hague. But the royal family love the Utrecht Hill Ridge and for generations have owned land and properties in these parts, taking pride in the care for and maintenance of the beautiful forests. The king’s grandparents lived at Soestdijk Royal Palace (open to the public) and he himself spent his childhood at Drakensteyn Castle where his mother Beatrix now lives (near Lage Vuursche). 

You are spoilt for choice today. If you like, you could reserve day 6 to go the zoo in Amersfoort. Or visit the wonderful medieval town of Amersfoort. Alternatively, visit the fortified town of Naarden, steeped in history, and the Fortress Museum. (http://www.vestingmuseum.nl/) 
Depending on how far your children can cycle and on the direction of the wind, you could start or end your cycling day with a boat trip on the Eemlijn, a cycle boat that chugs up and down the River Eem from Huizen to Soest and Amersfoort. For tired legs, even just the boat trip all the way to Huizen and back could be a day well spent for the whole family. 
Finally, a trip through the woods and heather fields surrounding the town of Laren also comes recommended, perhaps even going as far as Gooimeer, formerly Zuiderzee, now a lake. 

Via Soesterberg Air Base and past Leusderheide.
It’s mostly woods again today but you’ll also pass heather fields at entrancing Leusderheide. The main stop of the day is at Soesterberg Air Base where American soldiers were stationed during the Cold War. Now the military airport is being transformed into a vast nature park. Military heritage is still visible in the landscape and an art project is in full swing to add some cultural highlights.  The National Military Museum is also on the grounds.

Today is departure day. After filling up at the breakfast buffet, it’s time to make your way home.