Plas Laagraven Park - Houten

Kevin H.

Pas op!

Mijn hond heeft hier op de parkeerplaats vermoedelijk ontlasting gegeten van iemand die drugs heeft gebruikt. Kennelijk was er afgelopen weekend een festival.. Eindstand: spoedpost. Pas hier goed op dat je hond niks eet! Gelukkig kan hij zijn roes uitslapen in het dierenziekenhuis..

Bjorn V. D. L.

Heerlijke locatie om de hond uit te laten. Rustige, natuurlijke locatie.

maaike D.

Veel waarschuwingsborden voor blauwalg. Het water ziet er ook erg vervuild uit, groen/blauw en heel veel ganzen en ganzenpoep.
Wij durfden het risico niet te nemen voor de honden dus uitgeweken naar schoon water

Actual

Rustgevende plek, wel dichtbij de snelweg. Veel ruimte om te hardlopen, fietsen of wandelen.

Pierre J. F. D.

Just across the cycling bridge from the Utrecht Lunetten neighborhood, this fairly new park earea surrounding a large artificial lake, is just a 20-25 minute bike drive away from the center of Utrecht.

Best for: wide open spaces. Avian wildlife can be observed. Great for: family picknicks and smaller afternoon/ early evening gatherings with friends during the summer. One of the best - if not the best - places to watch the sunset (from the Eastern shore of the lake) anywhere in Utrecht.

Circumnavigation of the lake on foot is easy, by bike fairly easy (part by Waijnsedijk, exclusive cycle path rest of the way).

While technically in the town of Houten, it's located on the tri-corner of Utrecht, Nieuwegein and Houten. An outdoor swimming erea (similar lake) is located across the road (Waijnsedijk).

By car: Parking is available near the more commercially oriented swimming erea lake (south of the park). From Utrecht take the Waterlinieweg/ Laagravenseweg and take the Ravensewetering to the parking. The charm of the park is it's remoteness, so proceed on foot from there.

A pedestrian path is only available on the west side of the lake. If sticking to paved eareas one shares a bike path/ public road east and south from the lake. This certainly applies to disabled and lesser abled visitors. More adventurous visitors will have more options "off-road". Facilities such as toilets are not present - your best options are facilities near the parking lot.

Being located next to the A12 highway one may hear some noise coming from this road, especially when a northern wind is present. The nearly perfect sunset, as mentioned above, does have some buildings (from the industrial estate to the west) on the horizon's edge. We are near a major city after all. This does not detract from the feeling of being in an enormously wide open space. For totally unobstructed and totally natural views, I fear one needs to travel a much greater distance. For those willing to put up with minor flaws, this is as perfect as it gets this close to the center of Utrecht.

Koosje W.

Too bad this lake isn't open in september... in the summer.

Jason C.

gabriela L.