Veluwe

The Veluwe, a magnificent region within the province of Gelderland, has everything it takes to keep visitors happy. Covering roughly a thousand square kilometres, the area borders the Veluwemeer to the west, with Harderwijk, Nunspeet and Elburg as important 'outposts', while the A12 and A50 motorways effectively form the boundaries on the eastern and southern sides of this magnificent landscape. The Veluwe came into being during the ice age as the advancing land ice pushed the soil aside and upwards, producing ice-pushed ridges and related elevations, seen at their finest in the southern part around Schaarsbergen, Oosterbeek and Wolfheze. This is how the Veluwe acquired its rolling hills, while the adjoining lowland forms the Gelderse Vallei. The greatest heights are found on the Veluwezoom near Rheden, with the Signaal Imbosch as its high point; the nearby Posbank is its best-known viewpoint. Within the Veluwe lies De Hoge Veluwe National Park, a nature reserve in its own right, where the distinctive character of the area is further accentuated by unique flora and fauna. Mouflon, red deer and wild boar are present in large numbers. Visitors, and cyclists and walkers in particular, can enjoy themselves to the full here and take in the many faces of woodland, heath and drifting sands. At the centre of the park, near Otterlo, stands the Kröller-Müller Museum, with works by Van Gogh, Picasso and Mondrian among others. West of the park you will find the Ginkelse Heide, where flocks of sheep define the scene. Every year the Allied landings of 1944 are commemorated here at length, and the towns of Ede and Lunteren offer the passing visitor a wealth of sights.

Heading east, by way of the Kootwijkerzand and Stroe, lies Apeldoorn, the Veluwe's edge-of-region town, where a number of country estates are well worth a visit. Chief among them is of course Het Loo Palace, the former home of Princess Margriet among others, where the coach houses and superb gardens amply justify your visit.

To the west lie the villages of Ermelo and Putten, places with deep historical roots. Putten is home to a range of national monuments, including Het Hert, a fine corn mill dating from 1899. Ermelo has been inhabited since Roman times, as the many excavations carried out here make clear. The Old Church in the village dates from 1006 and is certainly worth a visit. Every Wednesday there is an interesting market.

To the north the Veluwe narrows by way of Nunspeet and 't Harde, passing through the beautiful heathlands of Doornspijk and Oldebroek before merging into the river landscape of the IJssel. The De Zoom sand drift is known for its highly distinctive vegetation of grey hair-grass and haircap mosses.

To make cycling here even more appealing, dozens of new cycle paths have been laid out or improved by the authorities throughout the area. Visitors can therefore make the most of everything this region has to offer in terms of flora and fauna. The strong growth in the wild boar population mentioned earlier is well known, but the otter, long absent from this area, is also making its way back thanks to reintroduction efforts elsewhere in the country.