Floris V Trail

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Floris V Trail: Flat Dutch Lowland Walking with Medieval History

Published 17 July 2025 Updated 5 June 2026

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HikeList Score

Floris V Trail scored 82/100 on HikeList's trail-quality metrics.

Great Hike

See score breakdownHide breakdown

Ideal length 89
Balanced challenge 100
Scenery & wildness 58
Varied terrain 100
Accommodation 92
Food & support 54
Path quality 92
Season flexibility 89

Computed from length, challenge, scenery & wildness, terrain variety, accommodation, food & support, path quality and season flexibility.

The Floris V Trail, or Floris V-pad (LAW 1-3), is a fully waymarked Dutch long-distance path across the Netherlands. It runs about 245 km from central Amsterdam to Bergen op Zoom in 13 official stages. The grade is moderate because of the multi-day distance, not the terrain: expect flat polders, dikes, towpaths, wetlands, farmland and town sections. It suits hikers wanting a low-altitude, cultural thru-hike with strong waymarking, easy underfoot walking and historic stops such as Muiderslot, Schoonhoven and Kinderdijk.

Route Overview

This is a point-to-point route from Amsterdam’s Dam to Bergen op Zoom in North Brabant, generally walked north to south. The line passes Diemen, Driemond, Weesp, Muiden, Ankeveen, Kortenhoef, Loenen aan de Vecht, Nieuwersluis, Kockengen, Woerden, Oudewater, Schoonhoven, Nieuw-Lekkerland at Kinderdijk, Dordrecht, Numansdorp, Willemstad, Steenbergen and the Brabantse Wal before the finish. Waymarking is white-red GR-style flashes in both directions. Much of the walking is on grass dikes, tiendwegen and canal towpaths, with paved sections through towns. If you are comparing Dutch lowland routes, also see the Groene Hart Pad and the shorter Amstel River Trail.

Why the trail is named after Floris V

Floris V was Count of Holland and Zeeland from 1254 to 1296. In 1296, disaffected nobles including Gerard van Velsen, Gijsbrecht van Amstel and Herman van Woerden seized him during a falconry hunt and imprisoned him at Muiderslot near Muiden. When local townsfolk and peasants moved to free him, the captors killed him. The route’s historical link is direct: Muiderslot stands on the trail, and Woerden is also on the route.

Notable highlights

Muiderslot near Muiden: A well-preserved medieval castle and the place where Count Floris V was held captive and killed in 1296. It is one of the clearest historical anchors on the route.
Schoonhoven: The historic “silver city” on the Lek, known for its silversmithing tradition and the Dutch Silver Museum. It makes a worthwhile town stop around the middle part of the trail.
Kinderdijk windmills at Nieuw-Lekkerland: A UNESCO World Heritage site with 19 eighteenth-century windmills along polder canals. It is a major highlight for anyone interested in Dutch water management.
Willemstad: A star-shaped fortress town on the Hollands Diep with bastioned earthwork ramparts and a harbour. It brings a strong fortified-town contrast after long polder sections.
Brabantse Wal: The final stage crosses this low sandy ridge, rising to about 22 m NAP. It provides the route’s only real gradients and a shift towards woods and heath.
Bergen op Zoom: The southern finish is a historic Brabant city known for the Markiezenhof palace and its old fortified centre.

Challenges to expect

The walking is technically easy and mostly flat, but the total distance makes it a moderate multi-day hike. Grass dikes, towpaths and unpaved embankments can become muddy, especially in wet or winter weather, and exposed polder sections offer little shelter from wind or rain. Navigation is helped by white-red waymarks, but carry maps or GPX. Accommodation is available in towns; wild camping is not generally legal, so use campsites, B&Bs, hostels or hotels. For another wetland-focused Dutch option, compare the Biesbosch National Park Trail.

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