‘t Leesten is a park and restaurant area in the vast Hooge Veluwe National Park, just outside of Apeldoorn. Although it is not a massive area, it is probably the most well thought out dog area within a national park that we have found so far.
All walks start from the car park next to the restaurant/Info Centre (Bospaviljoen ‘t Leesten). There are two off-leash walks you can do, the dog losloopgebeit, which is a fenced-off area with a range of little paths running through the park, and you can probably cover the whole area in about 30-45 minutes. At the far end of this section you can leave the fenced-off area and follow a route called the Natte Neuzenroute (wet-nose route) which – providing you stick directly to the pathways, adds around an extra 3km to the route, however it is very clearly stated that you must keep your dog under control and not let him wander off the pathways. If you want to extend your walk even further then you can do so, but you must put your pup on a leash. All pathways are very clearly marked, there is no way you lose the way.
There is no water area as such, just a few large puddles because of the recent rainfall, so take water if the weather is warm as these are likely to dry out.
The area is about a 20 minute drive to the centre of Apeldoorn where you will find a lovely pedestrian zone with a whole host of lovely restaurants. Check out the dog friendly beer garden “De Graaf van Vlaanderen” close to the cinema car park…
Pros:
- Lovely forest paths to snuffle around in
- Fenced-off leash free zone
- Restaurant and info centre next to the car park
Cons:
- No water areas
- Not all off-leash if you want to do a longer walk
- If you take your dog outside the fenced-off area you must have your pup well under control
Location:
Loslopen.net 