While the majority of people seem to walk their pups at the very convenient but leash-only Vondelpark near the centre of Amsterdam, just a bus ride away brings you to the Amsterdamse Bos, a huge area with massive off-leash pathways and wide open fields for running, playing or training in. Don’t forget, dogs travel for free on busses in the Netherlands!
Start at the bus stop “Amsterdamse Bos” and walk towards the Bosbaan, a wide canal famous for its rowing events. If you are coming by car then there is a large car park near the restaurant De Bosbaan (lovely lunches…) but of course you pay Amsterdam parking prices to park there.
There is a pleasant pathway to the side of the Bosbaan, but it is leash-only, and therefore not covered in these pages.
From the restaurant, we walked past the Bosbaan towards the Klimbos (children’s climbing area), and then veered south, following the main pathways. This point is still leash-only, until you come to a painted sign on the floor which marks the start of the loslopgebied. From here on, just follow the extensive labyrinth of pathways, walk around the Kleine Vijver lake and wind your way back, that alone will be around a 7-8 km walk. To the right of the main pathway is a dog free zone which allows dogs on-leash between October and March. It’s up to you if you want to explore them, we didn’t because we were having too much fun running free in the fields!
One thing you need to know, this is not a secret spot by any means. It can be busy. Even on cold winter days on a late lunchtime walk, expect a mixture of private dog walkers, large pack walkers (blatantly ignoring the signs of 3 dogs per person), office workers taking a lunchtime stroll and, surprisingly, horses crossing your path. Having said that, this area is so large and with so many wide open spots, you can find a way to avoid uninvited attention.
There are many cycle paths throughout the areas, but it has been nicely planned in such a way that these paths run parallel to walking areas, separated by grassy banks or trees so that walkers and cyclists rarely cross paths, even over the little bridges in the park.
The Amsterdamse Bos is also a location of several events throughout the year, some of which will close large areas of the park. If your plan was a long, calm walk in the woods, then check the calendar before setting out.
Pros:
- Huge area with wide open spaces
- Easily accessible from Amsterdam via public transport
- Lots of watery areas for hot summer days
Cons:
- High parking fees if public transport is not an easy option for you
- Can be busy
- Hosts a number of large events
Location:
Loslopen.net 