Arboretum, De Grote Plas and Buytenhout Loop

You’ll be walking a very flat, easy 10 km (about 6.2 miles) loop with essentially 0 m / 0 ft of climbing, linking together three distinct “Randstad green” landscapes: the Arboretum/Heempark-style gardens, the broad waters of De Grote Plas, and the open, stitched-together countryside of Regiopark BuytenHout (the large connected nature-and-recreation zone between Delft, Pijnacker-Nootdorp and Zoetermeer). ([buytenhout.nl](https://buytenhout.nl/?utm_source=openai))

Getting to the start (car + public transport) Because “near Pijnacker” can mean a few different trailheads depending on which side of BuytenHout you begin, the most reliable approach is to navigate to a major, unmistakable landmark on the Delftse Hout edge and then follow the signed paths into the loop:

- By car: Aim for the Delftse Hout / De Grote Plas recreation area (commonly accessed from the Delft side near the well-known retail landmark IKEA Delft, which sits on the southern edge of Delftse Hout). From there you can pick up the main multi-use paths around the lake and connect into BuytenHout. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delftse_Hout?utm_source=openai)) - By public transport: Delftse Hout is served by bus lines that run into/through the area, with service that can be more seasonal (stronger in summer, more limited in winter). Plan your stop selection and walking approach in HiiKER so you can see exactly which stop lands closest to your chosen trailhead on the day you go. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delftse_Hout?utm_source=openai))

If you share a coordinate (lon/lat) for your preferred start point, it can be converted to the nearest named place/landmark precisely; otherwise, using De Grote Plas / Delftse Hout as the anchor landmark is the simplest way to “hit” the loop cleanly.

What the route feels like underfoot Expect a mix of: - **Wide, well-surfaced multi-use paths** around the lake and through parkland - **Firm gravel and compacted dirt** in wooded stretches - **Open polder-edge tracks** where wind exposure can be the main “difficulty” rather than hills

Because the elevation change is negligible, pacing is straightforward—this is a great loop for relaxed walking, birdwatching pauses, or a steady easy fitness hike.

Arboretum & parkland section (first ~2–3 km / 1.2–1.9 mi) The arboretum/heempark-style portion is the most “curated” feeling part of the walk: planted collections, younger woodland structure, and a more garden-like layout compared with the open countryside later on. In spring and early summer, this section tends to be the most active with songbirds and pollinators, and it’s also where you’ll notice the biggest variety of tree species and understory planting.

Because paths can braid and intersect here, it’s worth having HiiKER open—this is the one part of the loop where it’s easy to accidentally take a parallel path and still feel like you’re “on route” until you’re a few minutes off-course.

De Grote Plas shoreline (middle ~3–4 km / 1.9–2.5 mi) De Grote Plas is the visual centerpiece: broad water, open sightlines, and a classic Dutch recreation-lake atmosphere. Historically, the lake’s origin is tied to **sand excavation** carried out to support construction of surrounding neighborhoods; the landscape you’re enjoying is, in that sense, a relatively modern human-made water body that has since become a major recreation and nature area. ([de.wikipedia.org](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delftse_Hout?utm_source=openai))

What to look for along the water: - Waterfowl and shoreline birds: ducks, geese, coots, and seasonal migrants using the open water and edges - Reedier margins and calmer corners that often hold more bird activity than the busier beach-like stretches - Wind effects: even on mild days, the lake edge can feel cooler and breezier than the sheltered woods

Practical heads-up: this area is popular for swimming and general recreation when conditions allow, so on warm weekends you may share paths with more families, cyclists, and beachgoers. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delftse_Hout?utm_source=openai))

BuytenHout countryside & woodland connectors (last ~3–4 km / 1.9–2.5 mi) As you transition into BuytenHout, the feel becomes more “regional greenbelt”: a connected patchwork of woods, open polder-like spaces, and wet areas that support a lot of birdlife. Staatsbosbeheer describes Buytenhout as a mix of **open polder landscape with meadow birds**, **woodland with small mammals**, and **marshy zones with many birds