Bussloo

Situated just outside Apeldoorn, Bussloo is definitely not something close by. Bussloo is only dog-friendly between September and May, after which it is a haven for kids and families.

The whole area is a Leisurelands recreational area. There are about 4 car parks (fixed fee of €3 per day regardless of how long you stay), each of which has kids entertainment facilities close by, such as swings, football targets, water pumps on the water edge, sectioned off swimming areas and bathroom blocks. There are also several beach side cafes and restaurants, meaning you could spend the entire day here if you wanted to. There is also a proper mini golf course on one side of the lake and this is also a good place to park.

It is possible to walk around the entire lake, however there is a spa and wellness centre situated on one part of the waterfront, and you need to walk around that. Directly in front of the spa there is a road, a cycle path and a horse path (interestingly no footpath…) but once you are past it, it’s back to galloping along park pathways!

There are also plenty of open, grassy areas to run around in, some spots seem to be newly forested with young trees, and in some sections there are fixed bbq areas. Just watch out for the Naturistenstrand where, if warm enough, you may encounter one or two totally naked people. It’s just to one side of the Spa. There is a closed off section to the east which is fenced off with barbed wire, and it is not easy to see from a distance. If you see a wooden gate, just keep watch that your pup doesn’t go barrelling into it.

In all the walk around the lake is just short of 10km, but at the eastern end of the lake there is a bridge where you can reduce the walk by around 3km. With all our stops and starts it took us nearly 2.5 hours to walk round.

This was a pretty busy area, even off season and fairly chilly we did meet a lot of dogs, mostly close to the beach areas or car parks, but wander further afield and other people start to thin out.