The Westerborkpad is a remarkable long-distance walking trail in the Netherlands that bridges not just kilometers, but also history, memory, and emotion. This route, also known as LAW 15, leads from the Hollandsche Schouwburg in Amsterdam to the former Westerbork Camp in Hooghalen. The total route is approximately 340 kilometers long, and you can divide the stages in a way that suits your own pace.
For me, walking this path was a journey full of impressions. Not only because it’s a walk through both city and nature, but mainly because of the stories “told” along the way.
While most hiking routes focus on nature and tranquility, the Westerbork Path compels you to pause both literally and figuratively. The route largely follows the tracks that Jewish citizens were forced to take on their way to Westerbork Camp. Along the path, you’ll encounter memorial sites, monuments, Jewish cemeteries, and (former) synagogues.
What makes the route more accessible is that it partly runs along paved paths and cycle tracks. This choice ensures that the trail never strays more than 5 kilometers from the original deportation route. It also means that at times you’ll walk through industrial areas or less scenic paths.
However, this also makes the trail suitable for walkers using a rollator or wheelchair. The path is marked with the white-red signs of the national trail network (LAW) and accompanied by a barbed wire symbola subtle yet powerful reminder of the theme of this route.
In the Netherlands, most long-distance trails (LAW) are marked in both directions. This trail, however, is marked only in one direction: from Amsterdam to Westerbork.
Why? Because people only traveled one way to Westerbork. The chance of returning the same way was small, and so this trail is marked in just one direction. This makes it especially poignant.
My journey along the Westerbork Path
I’ve walked every stage of the Westerborkpad, each with its own character and story. I’d like to share some of my experiences with you:
During the prologue of the Westerborkpad, you walk from Amsterdam Central Station to the Hollandsche Schouwburg. This 6.7-kilometer stretch takes you past historic locations such as the former Jewish Quarter, the Anne Frank House, and the Jewish Museum.
The Hollandsche Schouwburg, once a gathering point for Jews before deportation, now serves as a memorial site. This short stage offers a powerful introduction to the history and invites reflection on the impact of the war on Amsterdam’s Jewish community.
It’s “only” 6.7 kilometers, but I took all day. Take your time experience, feel. Besides the intense history, Amsterdam is also simply a vibrant city full of sights, smells, and sensations.
This stage began at the historic Muiderslot—a beautiful starting point that contrasts with the theme of the trail. The walk took me past the Jewish cemetery in Muiderberg. I felt a deep respect for this place and those buried there. The silence was almost tangible.
The trail also passes Camp Amersfoort. If you’re dividing up the stages, make sure to take time to visit this site. It was renovated in 2020. I visited for the second time in 2024. The camp and everything surrounding it are well worth your time.
On the way to Ermelo, I passed a location where a synagogue once stood, now marked with a commemorative plaque. In Nijkerk, I visited the museum, where the town’s wartime history is made tangible through personal stories and artifacts. It gave the walk deeper meaning.
This stage passed the Jewish cemetery in Harderwijk. Time and again, the route prompts you to stop and reflect—on a name, a family, a story. Later, I walked across the Hulshorsterzand, also known as “the Desert of the Veluwe.” The vast sand plains brought a different feeling: nature in its full glory, and yet still a place for remembrance.
It was a warm day when I walked from Berkum to Hoogeveen. In Staphorst, I visited the local museum, which told a lot about the local culture and how this community dealt with the war. The traditional clothing, household items, and stories gave me a fuller picture of daily life back then.
The final stages toward Westerbork Camp were emotional. The landscape slowly changed, and I could feel I was approaching the end. Along the Oranjekanaal I walked toward Hooghalen. And then finally the end of the trail. First, we visit the Remembrance Center and then the Camp.
The Westerbork Camp Museum is located near the former transit camp in Hooghalen, Drenthe. During World War II, more than 100,000 Jews, Roma, and Sinti were gathered here before being deported to concentration and extermination camps like Auschwitz and Sobibor. The remembrance center gives insight into daily life in the camp through personal stories, photos, letters, and objects. Outside, you’ll see traces of the original camp, such as the railway tracks, the monument of 102,000 stones, and the foundations of the barracks. The museum offers a deeply moving and respectful place to remember and learn about this dark chapter in history.
The old tracks, the barrack foundations, the monument of 102,000 stones it moved me deeply. I can’t put into words what I felt. Pictures can’t say everything, but I’ll “tell” the rest below in images.
I ended the walk and this experience with a sense of silence, reverence, and remembrance.
This trail is not an ordinary walk. It’s a route that invites reflection. Whether you’re interested in history, seeking depth in your walks, or have a personal connection to the stories of the past: the Westerborkpad offers something unique.
The combination of cultural history, nature, and personal stories makes this path unforgettable. It’s also a walk that teaches you remembrance isn’t something reserved for one day a year it can be woven into daily life, even something as ordinary as walking.
The Westerbork Path didn’t just give me miles it touched and inspired me. Through nature, through history, through the stories of people. Every step was connected to the past and gave meaning to the present.
Whether you walk the entire path or just a few stages, I recommend it to everyone. It’s a journey through time and space that you won’t soon forget.
Our Photos
We take photos with our iPhone, mirrorless camera, or compact camera. We don’t edit our experience photos with colors or filters; all the colors you see are exactly as we observed them.
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