Bentendijkpad, Blauwehandseweg, Eesveenseweg and Overlendepad Loop

This is a big, lowland loop through the borderlands of Overijssel and Flevoland, linking quiet farm lanes (Eesveenseweg/Overlendepad), peat-and-reed waterscapes around the Kop van Overijssel, and long, ruler-straight dike and polder corridors where names like Bentendijkpad make sense: you’re often walking on engineered embankments that keep reclaimed land dry. At roughly 156 km / 97 mi with only about 100 m / 330 ft of total ascent, the challenge is almost never steepness—it’s time on feet, wind exposure, and surface variety.

A practical “hike head” for planning is the Eesveen / De Eese area, just southeast of Steenwijk. A reliable landmark to aim for is Landgoed De Eese (near Eesveen), a well-known estate landscape on the edge of the Woldberg ridge. (deeese.nl)

Getting to the start (car + public transport)

• By train: Use Steenwijk railway station as the main rail hub; it’s on the NS intercity line between Zwolle and Leeuwarden. (en.wikipedia.org)
  
• By bus: From the Steenwijk station area, regional buses run toward the countryside villages; Eesveen is served by services that include stops such as “Eesveen, De Eese” on the corridor between Heerenveen and Steenwijk (service patterns vary by day/time). Check the current timetable before committing to a start time. (wiki.ovinnederland.nl)
  
• By car: Navigate to the Eesveen side of the route via Eesveenseweg (Eesveen)—this road is the direct rural connector between Steenwijk and Eesveen. For a “nearest known address” anchor, Eesveenseweg, 8347 JE/JC, Eesveen is the correct corridor to target, then choose a safe, legal pull-in/parking spot near public access points (avoid blocking farm gates). (funda.nl)
  

For navigation, load the full loop into HiiKER and also save key “bail-out” points (Steenwijk, Wanneperveen/Belt-Schutsloot area, Emmeloord area) so you can shorten days if weather turns.

What the terrain feels like (and why it’s “easy” but not “casual”)

Expect a steady rotation of: - Asphalt farm lanes (fast, repetitive, hard on feet) - Dike-top paths and canal-side tracks (open, windy, big skies) - Shorter unpaved segments that can be slick after rain, especially where paths run beside reedbeds and drainage ditches

Because the elevation gain is tiny (~100 m / 330 ft total), pacing is straightforward—until wind and exposure slow you down. In this part of the Netherlands,