The Veluwe – from wildlife to relaxation
The Veluwe is a large wooded area located in the province of Gelderland. It is an area of around 1000 square kilometers. The area of the Veluwe also includes a number of protected nature areas such as the Kroondomeinen, which is the last piece of primeval forest in the Netherlands, but also the drifting sands of, for example, the Leuvenem forest and the Kootwijkerzand. The highest point of the Veluwe is at 110 meters, which makes it the highest barrier area outside South Limburg. Large parts of the Veluwe and its dams were created around 150,000 years ago during the penultimate ice age. Overall, the region is enclosed between the IJsseldal, the Veluwerandmeren, the Nederrijn and the Gelderse Vallei. An area with an area of 91,200 ha has been designated as a Natura 2000 area.
The Veluwe is a hotspot when it comes to holiday homes and large campsites, whether or not for mobile homes or touring cars. The Veluwe therefore has a lot to offer and not just for nature lovers, although it will be very much in its element here. I myself am in the happy situation where my parents had a mobile home in the middle of the forest that borders on the Ermelose heath. I have been able to spend a large part of my childhood in this beautiful area.
The Veluwe is not just a forest area, it has heathland areas and areas with beautiful fen networks. And even in the forests of the Veluwe there is an incredible amount of variation. It saves a world for example if you first go to the speulder and sprieler forest and then visit the Leuvenem forest
Wild Animal life in the Veluwe
Due to the size of the area there is also a large diversity of fauna here. From Veldmuis to Red Deer it can all be found in the Veluwe if you know where to find the right place and are in the right place at the right time. But birds of prey are also represented in large numbers. Buzzard in particular is a bird that you will see frequently, but also different falcon species do not shy away from the Veluwe. I was allowed to own a mobile home for a while and with that I stood in a very small place near the Kootwijkerzand. My back yard bordered directly on the heathland near Harskamp. In the morning and in the evening, the Red Deer were standing there and the boar families walked in and out. You can imagine what a feeling that gives when you come face to face with a Red Deer.
It is almost impossible to find all the interesting and beautiful places of the Veluwe here together. Nevertheless, I will try to give a brief overview here of what I personally find very beautiful or fun and interesting places.
The most beautiful places in the Veluwe
- Harderwijk with the dolphinarium
- Ermelo with the Ermelose Heide
- Leuvenhorst with the Leuvenem forest
- Radio Kootwijk with the Kootwijkerzand
- Hoge Veluwe National Park with the Crown Domains (The last piece of real primeval forest in the Netherlands).
Tourism is highly developed in the Veluwe. The province of Gelderland wishes to increasingly concentrate accommodation recreation along / in the less vulnerable edges of the area. With this, one tries to reduce the great pressure of recreation on nature. Various recreation companies in the center of the Veluwe and a barracks area at Nunspeet will be returned to nature. The area of recreational accommodation can then grow.