Marskramerpad (Merchant’s Path)

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Marskramerpad (Merchant's Path): A Complete Hiking Guide

Published 17 July 2025 Updated 1 July 2026

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Ranked #477 of 974

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HikeList Score

Marskramerpad (Merchant’s Path) scored 80/100 on HikeList's trail-quality metrics.

Very Good

See score breakdownHide breakdown

Ideal length 75
Balanced challenge 50
Scenery & wildness 71
Varied terrain 100
Accommodation 100
Food & support 88
Path quality 98
Season flexibility 100

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

The Marskramerpad is a 372 km point-to-point long-distance walk across the Netherlands, from Bad Bentheim in Germany to Scheveningen and The Hague on the North Sea. It is LAW 3 and also the Dutch section of the E11. Officially divided into 20 stages, it is an easy, lowland trail suited to hikers who want a long but non-technical route through towns, farmland, forest, heath, polders and coastal dunes.

Route Overview

The guide runs east to west, starting at Bad Bentheim just over the German border and finishing at Scheveningen / Den Haag. The route is fully waymarked in both directions with Dutch LAW white-over-red blazes. Key places include Oldenzaal, Delden, Rijssen, Holten, Deventer, Hoenderloo, Kootwijk, Amersfoort, Breukelen, Leiden, Wassenaar and Scheveningen. Stages range from 11.6 to 25.5 km, with most around 15–20 km, and towns and villages make public-transport access straightforward for section hiking. For related Dutch long-distance routes, compare the Achterhoekpad, the Floris V Trail and the coastal Dutch Coastal Path.

Merchant history of the Marskramerpad

The Marskramerpad follows the historic routes of the marskramers, itinerant peddlers, and their German counterparts, the Tödden. From the 16th and 17th centuries they walked from poorer parts of Germany such as Münsterland and Emsland towards the wealth of the Dutch Golden Age, carrying a woven back-basket, or “mars”, filled with textiles, linen, buttons, needles, brushes, snuff and small goods. The modern route connects with the German Töddenweg; together they form the Handelsweg.

Notable highlights

Crossing the Veluwe: The middle section from Deventer to Amersfoort crosses Veluwe forest, sandy heath and the open drift-sands near Kootwijk, giving the route its wildest inland landscapes.
Deventer and Amersfoort: These historic merchant towns echo the trading history of the path. Deventer is an old Hanseatic city, while Amersfoort has a well-preserved medieval centre.
Oldenzaal and St Plechelmus Basilica: Oldenzaal is the first Dutch town on the route. Its Romanesque Basilica of St Plechelmus is a Twente landmark built largely from local Bentheim sandstone.
Twente and Salland coulisse landscape: The opening Dutch stages cross small-scale farmland broken by hedgerows, woods, country estates and farm tracks.
Scheveningen and the North Sea: The final approach passes through the Scheveningse Bosjes and dunes before reaching the beach at Scheveningen in The Hague.

Challenges to expect

The Marskramerpad is technically easy: lowland terrain, modest ascent and mostly straightforward surfaces. The main challenge is cumulative distance over 20 stages, with some days above 20 km. Expect rain, cool winds and changeable weather in spring and autumn. There are no huts, wild camping is not permitted, and some campsites close in winter, so accommodation planning matters.

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Ranked #477 of 974

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