The Walk of the World is the Nijmegen Four Days Marches from July 15 to 18, 2025.

The Nijmegen Four Days Marches, often referred to as the 4Daagse since 2021 and officially known as the International Four Days Marches Nijmegen, is a four-day walking event that has taken place annually since 1909 and begins on the third Tuesday of July. This oldest and most famous four-day walking event in the Netherlands is also the largest multi-day endurance walking event in the world and is now also known as The Walk of the World. Every year, participants from approximately eighty countries take part, including a large number of military personnel. The 2025 edition will be held from July 15 to 18. Parallel to the Four Days Marches, the Vierdaagsefeesten is held from July 12 to 18.

Four Days Marches general

The Vierdaagse features three distances: 30, 40, and 50 kilometers. During the week the Vierdaagse Nijmegen is held, the Vierdaagsefeesten (formerly Nijmeegse Zomerfeesten) are also held in the city center of Nijmegen. Festivities are also organized in the various municipalities through which the Vierdaagse Nijmegen passes. Many hundreds of thousands of Vierdaagse supporters are present in the region throughout the entire Vierdaagse week.

The building and grounds of De Vereeniging at Keizer Karelplein in Nijmegen served for many years as the start and finish location and accommodation for the organization. This has since been moved to the nearby Wedren, where much more space has been created using temporary facilities, as well as in the adjacent Julianapark and on Vierdaagseplein. Starts take place in distance blocks in the morning from 4:00 AM; the latest finish time is 5:00 PM on the first three days and 6:00 PM on Friday. It is very important to finish on time, as anyone who finishes too late will be disqualified and will not be allowed to start the next day. Military participants start and check out at the Heumensoord military camp. This is also the place where they stay overnight during the Vierdaagse.

For the 107th edition of the Nijmegen Four Days Marches in 2025, there are 47.000 participants. This number was reached in record time, as the last 4.500 entry tickets sold out within 30 minutes during the second registration round. Ultimately, 45.539 walkers registered, of whom 1.461 did not show up, leaving 44.078 walkers actually at the start. Brief overview:

• Number of registered participants: 45.539.
• Number of no-shows: 1.461.
• Number of participants started: 44.078 (approximate, rounded).
• Number of participants at the finish: 45.321 (approx., rounded).
• Total number of entry tickets: 47.000.
• Participation costs 120 euros. The organization uses this money, among other things, to pay the traffic controllers.
• Foreign participants from 82 countries.

In 2025, seven participants over the age of 91 will take part. The oldest is 94. Past participants include Bert van der Lans (#71) and Dick Koopman (#70). Well-known terms of the Vierdaagse include march leader, Race, and Via Gladiola. Figure out what they mean. During the annual entry of the Nijmegen Vierdaagse, St. Annastraat is renamed Via Gladiola. It then forms the grand finale of the Vierdaagse. The name 'Via Gladiola' refers to the fixed expression 'Death or the gladioli'. Indeed, the gladiolus symbolizes heroism and victory (think of gladiator). Another advantage is that the gladiolus is usually in bloom in mid-July and is therefore not too expensive.  

Day of Elst (1): Blue Tuesday

The first day of the Four Days Marches passes through the Betuwe, north of Nijmegen, via Elst and Arnhem. Along the way, walkers cross the Waal Bridge both at the beginning and at the end of the day.

Up until 2016, this route was walked in the opposite direction. Traditionally, the final part of the course, the dike between Oosterhout and Lent, was a tough stretch. Here, the railway bridge and later the Waal Bridge could already be seen in the distance, while there was still over an hour's walk ahead (two hours for military personnel). This section of the course caused the most problems in 2006. Possible causes of these problems were: completing this stretch in the hottest part of the day while already fatigued (the final part of the route), the large number of people causing walking speed to drop, and the lack of sufficient opportunities to rest in a responsible manner (not on relatively cold ground). Furthermore, response times for emergency services were becoming increasingly longer due to urban expansion.  

Wijchen Day (2): Pink Wednesday

During the second day, Wijchen and Beuningen are visited. These places are located west of Nijmegen. On this day, most people drop out (mostly the untrained). Up until 2005, the route ran via Betouwstraat and Van Welderenstraat, where Villa Lila, the COC, and gay nightlife venues are located, among others, which earned this day the name Pink Wednesday. Eventually, a large public festival developed there, causing runners to get caught in the crush. 'Speeds' of a few meters per minute were the result. In 2005, during the busiest period, it took an hour to 'run' through these two streets. Under normal circumstances, this is covered in ten minutes. Therefore, since 2006, the route has gone via the Waalkade.

Just as on the first day, the military participants walking the march from Heumensoord still have to cover about five kilometers (approximately an hour's walk) after the civilian runners on the 30, 40, and 50 km routes have finished. This final stretch, of which the Heyendaalseweg makes up the largest part, with hardly any spectators, is a cause for joy for only a few soldiers.  

Groesbeek Day (3): Green Thursday

On the third day, the march route is hilly, culminating in the infamous Zevenheuvelenweg (Seven Hills Road). On this day, the route runs south of Nijmegen on the east side of the Maas River. Via Mook and Milsbeek, the climb towards Groesbeek begins. The 50-kilometer runners and the military personnel make an extra loop at Milsbeek, with the former also passing through Gennep and Ottersum. From Groesbeek, the route continues via the Zevenheuvelenweg to Berg en Dal and from there back to Nijmegen. Halfway along the Zevenheuvelenweg, the 'men and women in uniform' stop at the Canadian military cemetery in Groesbeek to pay tribute to the soldiers who fell in the Second World War.

 

Day of Cuijk (4): Orange Friday

The route for the fourth and final day of the Vierdaagse is once again south of Nijmegen, but this time the south and west sides of the Maas are visited. Up to Overasselt, most courses run parallel. Soldiers turn off just before Overasselt towards Grave (via the Graafsebrug), while the 50 km route turns off in Overasselt, also towards Grave. The 40 km walkers proceed via Overasselt to the Maas bridge on the A73 near Heumen and then enter the small village of Linden. Every year, this village is decorated for the walkers according to a specific theme. After Grave and Gassel, the military and 50 km walkers continue via Beers, where the 40 km, military, and 50 km walkers briefly meet. After Beers, it is a direct route to Cuijk, except for the 50 km route, which makes the final loop via Vianen.

In Cuijk, the walkers cross the Maas via a pontoon bridge, traditionally constructed by the Royal Engineers. For the military participants, the official finish is just before the built-up area of ​​Nijmegen at the Charlemagne grounds. Here they receive their medal and marching bands join the participants. When the walkers enter Nijmegen for the last time via St. Annastraat, which has been renamed for the Four Days Marches to the Your Gladiola, because the spectators the walkers traditionally gladioli give up, the persistent participants are welcomed by a large crowd of spectators and waiting friends and family. All hardships and pains 'disappear', and at the Wedren, one receives the coveted 'Vierdaagse cross' if all regulatory conditions have been met. The finish time may now be an hour later than on other days.  

<strong> More info: </strong>

Four-day march: https://www.4daagse.nl/ Four-day festivities: https://www.vierdaagsefeesten.nl/ Visit Nijmegen during the Four Days Marches: https://www.visitnijmegen.com/ontdek/nijmeegse-vierdaagse I wrote an extensive report on the Four Days Marches in 2022, featuring special stamps and cancellations: https://www.postzegelblog.nl/2022/07/22/vierdaagse-2022-wordt-driedaagse/