This Ice Age walk takes you through the parks Sonsbeek, Zijpendaal and Gulden Bodem. Discover the unique geological history of the three parks. Set off and enjoy the landscape and its beautiful views for 9.2 km.
Did you know that the hills in the Arnhem area were formed during the last two ice ages? 300,000-130,000 years ago, a huge glacier tongue moved south from the north through the IJssel valley and pushed up the frozen earth. During the last ice age, slopes flattened out again, but some also became steeper. This created asymmetrical valleys with a flat and a steep side. Cross these valleys and experience the height differences of this ice age walk. During this walk you will gain 120 meters of elevation!
What will you encounter during this walk?
Start this 9.2 km walking route at the Molenplaats Sonsbeek Visitor Center. After crossing the Sint Jansbeek you walk up towards Stadsvilla Sonsbeek. Experience how steep the path is; Here you walk on the steep side of the asymmetrical valley of the Jansbeek. Enjoy the beautiful view of the city here. Along the way you descend through the dry valley towards the Ice Cellar; an old-fashioned refrigerator. Cross the meadow halfway and walk up along the allotment complex perpendicular to the slope. You will then come across various sights, such as the Governor’s House, Zijpendaal House, the Portiers’ House and various works of art. You return to the Molenplaats via Park Sonswijck and the Dutch Water Museum; the end point of this walk.
How do you get to the starting location?
Are you coming by public transport? From Arnhem Central Station you can walk to the Molenplaats Sonsbeek Visitor Center within 5 minutes; the starting location of this walk. You can park for a fee on the Zypendaalseweg: zone 26033. Further along on the Zypendaalseweg (just before the Parkweg intersection) you can park without paying. This is about a 15-minute walk to the starting location. In addition, you can park in surrounding neighborhoods for a maximum of 2 hours with a blue parking disc.
- Category:
- Walking route
