Sallandse Heuvelrug is a fascinating and beautiful national park located in the eastern Netherlands. One of the largest dry moorlands in all western Europe, it features an incredible mixture of heathlands, forests, sand dunes, and even some rugged semi-mountainous areas. Sallandse Heuvelrug is a unique and interesting area that’s well worth a visit. So, let’s have a closer look at this surprising, colourful region.
TRIVIA:
❒ Official name: Sallandse Heuvelrug National Park (Nationaal Park Sallandse Heuvelrug)
❒ Established: 2004
❒ Size: 2740 ha
❒ Location: Overijssel
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About Sallandse Heuvelrug National Park
Sallandse Heuvelrug National Park covers approximately 35 square kilometres of Overijssel province, towards the eastern border of the Netherlands. It sits directly adjacent to the town of Nijverdal, while the large town of Rijssen is just a few kilometres from the southern end of the park. It’s also conveniently close to the cities of Zwolle, Apeldoorn, and Enschede.
The landscape here is relatively young and was largely formed during the last Ice Age (approximately 150,000 years ago). Humans have lived in the area since at least the Bronze Age, thousands of years ago, but it was during the medieval era that Sallandse Heuvelrug underwent its most dramatic transformation. Intensive sheep grazing and farming gradually decimated the local soils, the farmers departed, and sand dunes overtook the area. These days, sandy heathlands cover the area, along with large stands of pine forests planted in the 20th century to stop soil erosion. It’s also a surprisingly rugged of the Netherlands, with 26 “mountains” inside the national park area – though the tallest mountain is still only a scant 75 metres above sea level!
How to get to Sallandse Heuvelrug National Park
Getting to Sallandse Heuvelrug National Park is straightforward by car or public transport. If you’re driving, the park lies between Deventer and Almelo and is easily reached via the N35, with access points near Nijverdal, Holten, and Hellendoorn.
By public transport, take a train to Nijverdal Station or Holten Station. Nijverdal Station is located directly on the edge of the park, while from Holten it’s a short walk or bike ride to reach the main heathland areas.
Pro tip: Buy your train tickets online with the Dutch Railways (NS) for hassle-free travel. On the website of NS you can also check for any discounts.
Tip: Read this post about using the public transport in the Netherlands. It’s packed with tips that only a local knows!
Facilities in Sallandse Heuvelrug National Park
With a decent sized area to cover, it’s not surprising that there are multiple visitors’ centres around Sallandse Heuvelrug National Park. The largest and most comprehensive is the Outdoor Centre (Buitencentrum), located at the park’s northern edge along the M35 highway. Run by the state forestry commission (Staatsbosbeheer), the information centre is the best place to start your visit to Sallandse Heuvelrug National Park. There’s plenty of information about the park’s history, plants, and animals, and it’s also the starting point for guided excursions into the national park. Bikes can be hired from here (including e-bikes), plus there’s an excellent restaurant, and a shop that sells all manner of useful tools like maps, binoculars, bird guides, and souvenirs.
At the southern end of the national park is the other information centre, Natuurmuseum Holterberg, run by a private ownership group. It’s a great place for information about the national park and the wider area, with lots of dioramas and exhibitions to see, and some great exhibits for children as well. Note that tickets are required, and pre-booking is recommended though not necessary. The museum also includes a shop, and a café with light refreshments available.
Things to do at Sallandse Heuvelrug National Park
As you’d expect from a large and varied area, there’s plenty of great things to see and do at Sallandse Heuvelrug National Park, so let’s have a look at some of the highlights!
1. Hiking and cycling
There’s plenty of excellent walking and riding paths across the national park. Many of these start from the Outdoor Centre at the northern end, but there’s various other starting points across the park too. Those looking for a short walk that’s great for kids and families will love the Speelbospad, while fans of the beautiful heathland should definitely follow the 4km Holterberg hike.
For cyclists, one of the best options is the Tour of Sallandse Heuvelrug, clocking in at an impressive 61 kilometres. The trail winds across much of the national park, visiting many of the most beautiful and interesting areas. There’s also the 48-kilometre Liberation Cycle route, which covers several of the important World War II memorials in the area, along with the beautiful scenery.
2. Mountain biking
As one of the more “rugged” areas of the Netherlands, Sallandse Heuvelrug has some fantastic mountain biking opportunities scattered throughout. One of the best is definitely the Holterberg MTB route, a 30-kilometre loop around some of the park’s most challenging terrain. You’ll find sharp uphills, sudden drops, challenging corners and of course, excellent scenery as well.
3. Do some birdwatching
Many of the Dutch national parks are great places for birdwatching, and Sallandse Heuvelrug is no different! There are multiple observatories located around the park, including at Noetselerberg, Lemelerberg, and Archemerberg. There are over 75 species of birds living in the park over the year, so keep an eye out for black grouse, raven, nightjar, black tit, crossbill, crested tit, and birds of prey like the goshawk and the honey buzzard.
4. Pay your respects to war victims
One of the most unusual features of Sallandse Heuvelrug National Park is the Canadian War Cemetery, located on Eekhoornweg at the southern end of the park. This sombre and reflective area contains memorials for the 1,394 Canadian soldiers killed as they liberated this part of the eastern Netherlands in 1945. The nearby information centre has wonderful in-depth portraits of many soldiers, including stories and personal effects.
At the northern end of the park, it’s also worth visiting the Memorial for Labour Camp Twilhaar, located on the Paltheweg in Nijverdal. Twilhaar was a forestry camp that was used by the Nazis as a forced labour camp during World War II. Much of the surrounding forest was planted by detainees at the camp, and although the camp was demolished in 1949, these days there’s a memorial for the men who were sent from here to their deaths at Auschwitz.
5. Visit the Sprengenberg
One fascinating corner of the national park is De Sprengenberg, a large manor house and associated country estate that dates from the early 20th century. The gorgeous white house with its tall white tower (known locally as the Palthetoren) is one of the highlights of the area, though unfortunately the house is still privately owned and not open to the public. However, the estate grounds can be freely visited, and are beautifully maintained, with rhododendron gardens, fields of heather, and several impressive flower displays.
Final words
Overall, Sallandse Heuvelrug is one of the most interesting and beautiful national parks in all of the Netherlands. Anyone visiting Overijssel province should definitely drop by this fascinating and enticing area.
