The LF9 NAP-route crosses the Netherlands from Bad Nieuweschans to Utrecht, using an unusual idea to connect its landscapes: the approximate coastline that might exist without the country's dikes and dunes. Nederland Fietsland describes a 359 km route through nine provinces, passing Groningen and Amersfoort on its way to Utrecht.
A journey around an imagined coastline
NAP stands for Normaal Amsterdams Peil, the Dutch reference level used to measure height. The route takes that idea as its theme, following broadly the line of a hypothetical coast if dikes and dunes were absent. It is an invitation to notice how water and land meet, even when the sea itself is out of sight.
The landscape changes considerably along the way. Nederland Fietsland highlights monumental farms in eastern Groningen, sand drifts and heath in Drenthe, the edge of the Veluwe and harbour towns on the former Zuiderzee. The route also reaches higher ground at the Havelterberg and the Utrechtse Heuvelrug.
Bad Nieuweschans to Utrecht
The route description places the northeastern endpoint near junction 92 in Bad Nieuweschans and the Utrecht endpoint near junction 90, close to Fort Blauwkapel. Groningen and Amersfoort are among the cities on the itinerary, giving riders places to break up the journey between contrasting rural landscapes.
The current endpoint matters when consulting older guides. In 2025 the section south of Utrecht towards Bergen op Zoom was discontinued. Fietsplatform says its signs were removed and it no longer actively manages that former section. For a journey continuing from Utrecht towards Breda, it suggests the southern part of the LF Waterlinieroute, which broadly follows a similar course.
Check the route before riding
Fietsplatform, the organisation behind Nederland Fietsland, announced in 2025 that it planned to phase out the route in 2026 as part of changes to the LF network. Its route page and network status overview still list LF9, so check its latest status before committing to a trip and do not assume that an older map reflects the maintained itinerary.
The route includes ferries; Nederland Fietsland recommends checking their current sailing times. Its LF9 updates page also lists diversions and missing signs. For example, it reports a diversion on Groningen's Eemskanaal between junctions 88 and 91 for September 2025 to December 2026, and a 2026 diversion near the Nijkerkerbrug because of a defective bridge. Consult the live update page for the latest instructions before departure.