Drents Landschap Gravel Tocht

The Drents Landschap Gravel Tocht begins at Buitencentrum De Poort in Ruinen, Drenthe. Participants depart between 9:00 and 10:00 AM. This event is a gravel touring ride, not a competition for rankings. Route choices are approximately 47 km, 85 km, and 120 km, with the longest distance varying slightly in past years. WTC Ruinen is the organizer, and the ride takes place in late June, crossing the heathland, forests, and agricultural areas surrounding Ruinen. The short route consists of a single loop, the middle route uses two loops, and the longest version adds a third loop. Riders will navigate narrow gravel paths through meadows, farmyards, woodlands, and historic raised fields known as 'essen'. All distances include Holtingerveld, a nature reserve featuring hunebeds, the prehistoric stone tombs characteristic of this region of the Netherlands. The longest route also encircles Dwingelderveld National Park and follows the Postweg, an 18th-century stagecoach road connecting Groningen and Hasselt.