Veluwezoom National Park is a gorgeous and appealing national park, located in the eastern Netherlands. A semi-rugged landscape that’s covered in heath, forest, sand drifts, hills, and even a few country estates, Veluwezoom National Park is one of the highlights of Gelderland province, with many fascinating features. But what makes Veluwezoom such an interesting and attractive national park? Let’s dive in for a closer look.
TRIVIA:
❒ Official name: Veluwezoom National Park (Nationaal Park Veluwezoom)
❒ Established: 1930
❒ Size: 5000 ha
❒ Location: Gelderland
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About Veluwezoom National Park
Veluwezoom National Park is in the province of Gelderland, in the eastern Netherlands. It’s part of the larger Veluwe nature reserve and sits just near the De Hoge Veluwe National Park. Veluwezoom National Park is surprisingly large in area, over 50 square kilometres, and was gazetted in 1930, making it the oldest national park in the Netherlands! Interestingly, it’s also one of the few national parks in the Netherlands which is entirely privately owned, by the Natuurmonumenten conservation organisation (most Dutch national parks are largely owned by the Forestry Commission, Staatsbosbeheer).
The national park sits directly adjacent to the city of Arnhem, capital of Gelderland province, while the city of Apeldoorn is not too far from the park’s northern boundary. It’s so close to Arnhem, it’s sometimes called the Arnhem National Park! Other nearby towns include Rheden, Dieren, and Eerbeek, while major centres like Utrecht and Amsterdam are conveniently located just over an hour’s drive away.
The landscape at Veluwezoom is a gorgeous mixture of hills, heath, sand, and forest. Humans have lived in the area for thousands of years, felling trees for fuel and materials, grazing sheep and cattle, and of course, farming. Over time, most of the area’s forests were felled, and overgrazing meant that productive land was replaced with beautiful (but not particularly useful) heathland, and sand drifts began to roll across the landscape.
In the late Middle Ages, most farmers had left the area, trees began to sprout up once again, and several large country estates were established, particularly in the southern parts of Veluwezoom. Accordingly, forests were planted more vigorously, and the area was finally declared a national park in 1930 – the first such area in the Netherlands.
How to get to Veluwezoom National Park
The best way to find out how to travel from A to B in the Netherlands is to use the Glimble app. You can buy your tickets in the app and travel hassle-free. The app is absolutely free to download.
Tip: Read this post about using the public transport in the Netherlands. It’s packed with tips that only a local knows!
Facilities in Veluwezoom National Park
Despite the large size of Veluwezoom National Park, there’s only one visitor information centre here, known officially as the Bezoekerscentrum (Visitor’s Centre). It’s located on Heuvenseweg, at the southern entrance to the park, just off the Arnhemsestraatweg near the village of Rheden. There’s plenty of facilities here, including several restaurants and cafes, plus shops selling maps, binoculars, refreshments, and souvenirs. You’ll also find lots of information displays about the plants, animals, and history of the national park and its wider area, and of course there are bike hire kiosks on site as well if you’re keen to go for a ride.
Things to do at Veluwezoom National Park
With such a beautiful outlook and a large area, it’s not surprising that Veluwezoom National Park is packed full of interesting things to see and do. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the highlights.
1. Hiking and cycling
Veluwezoom National Park is criss-crossed with lots of excellent walking paths and cycling trails, with a range of distances and difficulties available. One great option for a short hike is the 2.5-kilometre Family Route to Sheepfold Veluwezoom, which is fully paved the whole way and accessible for all mobility levels. For something a bit longer, Patchwork Carolinahoeve clocks in at 5 kilometres and winds through beautiful avenues of beech trees.
If you’d prefer to ride a bike, be sure to check out the 31-kilometre Gazelle cycling route, starting from the town of Dieren and running near some of the park’s largest animal populations. There’s also cycling route Velperwaarden, a 23-kilometre cruise around some of the park’s most attractive areas: forests, moors, floodplains, and meadows.
2. Visit the Posbank
One of the most famous places in the Veluwezoom National Park is the Posbank viewpoint. Centrally located within the park, the Veluwezoom Posbank area is one of the park’s highest locales, at an altitude of 90 metres. Thanks to the elevation, the Posbank has excellent views of the surrounding hilly landscape (known as Herikhuizerveld), along with the IJsseldal, the Achterhoek, Arnhem, and the Liemers. On a clear day, you can even see as far as Germany!
The Posbank is a great area for hiking, cycling, and mountain bike riding, with some beautiful vistas and interesting terrain to tackle. The 5-kilometre walk up to Posbank from the Veluwezoom Visitor’s Centre is particularly beautiful! Or, if you’d prefer something a little more sedate, there’s a tearoom and café also at the Posbank Veluwezoom, known as Paviljoen de Posbank. Here you can grab a drink or snack and relax in comfort.
3. Mountain biking
Thanks to the rugged Herikhuizerveld area around the Posbank, there’s excellent opportunities for mountain biking in Veluwezoom National Park. The main route is 48 kilometres long and is simply referred to as Mountain Bike (MTB) Route Veluwezeen. It starts in the north-eastern corner at the former restaurant De Heideroos, located along Harderwijkerweg in the town of Eerbeek.
Note that an MTB vignette is required to use the mountain biking trails in the national park! These can be purchased online on the site of Natuurmonumenten, at a cost of 14 euros (the vignette itself is valid until the end of the calendar year).
4. Explore the estates
For a complete change of pace, it’s worth checking out the famous country estates in the southern area of Veluwezoom National Park. The best-known estates are Beekhuizen, Heuven, and Rhederood, all of which have large, manicured grounds, grand historic buildings in varying conditions, gardens, monumental farms, and of course tourist attractions like restaurants, cafes, and B&Bs. It’s fascinating to visit these large country estates, some of which date back to the 14th century (though the buildings are generally much newer than that!), and see how the richest nobles once lived their lives.
5. Observe the famous “Rut of the Red Deer”
One of the rarest but most famous animals living in the Veluwezoom National Park area is the impressive red deer. Sightings are common, but not frequent, and even if you’re a dedicated nature-spotter you’ll need to bring along a hefty dose of patience! The best time of year to visit is during the autumn, when the red deer are in mating (or “rutting”) season.
There’s a pair of viewing platforms specifically to watch the Rut of the Red Deer; one platform is in the rugged Herikhuizerveld area to the south (a moderate walk from the visitor’s centre), while the other is atop the Elsberg Hill in the park’s central north.
Final words
Overall, there’s plenty of fascinating things to see and do at Veluwezoom National Park. It’s one of the highlights in Gelderland province, and absolutely worth a stop for any visitors to the area!
