Liberation Route

The Liberation Route in Arnhem is a themed walking and cycling route that follows the events of September 1944, when the city became the focus of Operation Market Garden, the Allied attempt to end the war by seizing a chain of bridges across the Netherlands and crossing the Rhine. The plan was bold: airborne troops would land behind German lines and hold the bridges until ground forces arrived. It succeeded at some bridges and failed at the last one, Arnhem, and the story was told in the book and film A Bridge Too Far.

Arnhem is where the operation ended. British paratroopers of the 1st Airborne Division, supported by Polish and other units, landed west of the city and fought their way towards the bridge over the Rhine. Lieutenant-Colonel John Frost and a few hundred men of the 2nd Parachute Battalion reached the northern end and held it for several days against much stronger German forces. The relief column did not arrive in time, and the survivors were forced to withdraw across the river. The bridge, rebuilt after the war, now bears Frost's name.

The route links sites connected to the battle, including the bridge, the river bank and the streets where fighting took place. Information panels along the way, with photographs and testimonies, explain what happened at each point, and many visitors find it moving to stand where soldiers fought and civilians lived through the battle. In Oosterbeek, just outside the city, the Airborne Museum in the Hartenstein building was the headquarters of the division, and the nearby war cemetery is the resting place of many of those who died.

The civilian side of the story is also important. After the battle, the entire population of Arnhem was evacuated by the Germans and the city was looted and badly damaged. Residents returned only after liberation in April 1945, and much of the centre had to be rebuilt. The route offers a way to understand both the military drama and the human cost, and it is connected to a wider international network of liberation trails across Europe.

The route suits history lovers, families with older children and those who want to understand the war in the Netherlands. It can be done on foot or by bike, in a few hours or over a day. Wear comfortable shoes and use the maps and apps provided by the local tourist office.