Migration birds trail: from Amerongen to Rhenen – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

My expectations of this part of the Migration birds trail, between Amerongen and Rhenen in the Netherlands, are high. After all, it promises to be a forest hike and I love that. But the places where fewer trees grow turn out to be the most wonderful. It would be the most beautiful part of the Migration birds trail so far!

Versatile Amerongen

My hike starts at bus stop Dorp in Amerongen, a bus stop further from where I stopped last time on the Migration birds trail. I walk into the centre of the town and pass a black barn housing the Tobacco Growing Museum, with a small garden of tobacco plants next to it.

Further on, the church of Amerongen can already be seen, which I even walk right past. I take photos of the beautiful church from all sides. The picturesque streets and houses are also worth a photo.

I walk into a narrow forest path and head towards a plateau that gives phenomenal views of the Amerongse Bovenpolder. I also took a video of the view in the early morning light.

In the distance, I see many waterbirds and I grab my binoculars to take a closer look at them. I see many geese in particular, but also some spoonbills!

Spoonbill
The spoonbill is a large white bird with a spoon-shaped, black bill often with an orange-yellow tip. With their beak, they wade back and forth through the water in search of food. Spoonbills nest from late March to late July and have one nest per year with four eggs.

The spoonbill is mainly found in wetlands in western, central and northern parts of the Netherlands. Its habitat is mainly on the coast, in dune valleys and salt marshes, but also inland in marshes with natural water levels.



Source (in Dutch): Vogelbescherming

The spoonbill is the most unusual bird I encountered on this hike. Below, I have made a checklist of all the bird species I saw along the way. By the way, there are not that many of them.

The forest path is short-lived and I emerge at the forest edge overlooking the Amerongse Bovenpolder from ground level. Not much later, I may enter the forest again.

The trail leads me along sand and forest paths through the Amerongse Berg nature reserve. It is late August and then the heather is in bloom, which is no different here. Every now and then I come across some tufts of heather.

I actually don’t go to the Amerongse Berg itself, but mainly stay south of the ‘mountain’.

Willem III Plantation

A little later I am once again at the edge of the forest and also at the edge of the town of Elst. I cross a busy road and am at Prattenburg nature reserve.

I am amazed at how versatile this part of the trail is. After picturesque streets in Amerongen, floodplains, forest and heatherlands, it is now the turn of beautiful tree-lined avenues and fields.

Other trail guide about the same region

I pass through a fence and I am at the Willem III Plantation. I look out over beautiful stretched grassy plains with a few trees and bushes here and there. I walk along the sandy paths in amazement. A little further on, the view range widens even more. I am able to see for miles and in the distance I can see herds of wild horses and Galloway cattle grazing. Wow, what an amazing view!

With a slow pace, I cross the plantation and then once again enter the forest.

Kwintelooijen and Remmerstein Forest

This time I walk along wide beech avenues. I have to turn right somewhere, but the trail booklet tells me there is a nice viewpoint just off the trail. I go there to have a look and I don’t regret it.

In fact, the viewpoint shows another great view, this time of the former sand quarry Kwintelooijen. A nice stairway leading down attracts my attention, but the trail doesn’t go there at all. A shame as far as I’m concerned, but I don’t want to stray too far from the trail. I decide to return at another time to descend the stairway.

In my mind, the sloping sand quarry also looked purple with lots of heather. It was indeed in my mind, because a year later I indeed returned and found that there was not as much heather growing after all as in my imagination.

I return to the trail and walk along the quarry edge after all, where the heather is in beautiful bloom. Meanwhile, I walk into the Remmerstein forest and once again overlook a marker. Fortunately, I catch on quickly and go back a bit. The right path leads me to a historic clay pit.

I continue across Remmerstein estate and pass some fields growing sunflowers and corn. Then a steep path takes me into the forest for the last time today.

Rhenen

A little later I am in Rhenen, my final destination for today. I walk into the centre where an ice cream parlour has just opened its doors. I’m up for ice cream, so I enjoy it. After this well-earned break, I continue through Rhenen and walk right past the Cunerakerk.

The fun is not over yet. For the last part of my hike goes through yet another landscape: the floodplains of the Nederrijn. At Amerongen I saw the floodplains from afar, now I walk through them via a cycle path.

The bottom of the Rhine bridge is the finish line for today. From here, I walk easily towards Rhenen train station.

Final thoughts

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