National Park Veluwezoom and IJssel Valley

The Landscape

The Veluwezoom became the first nature reserve in the Netherlands to be designated a National Park back in 1930. But the landscape itself is much older, shaped thousands of years ago during the last Ice Age. Covering over 5,000 hectares, National Park Veluwezoom offers a landscape unlike anywhere else in the country. Thanks to its elevated terrain and vast natural areas, dense forests, rolling heathlands, drifting sands, and stately country estates flow seamlessly into one another. It’s the perfect setting for peace seekers, hikers, and cyclists alike.

What truly sets the Veluwezoom apart are its striking elevation changes, rising up to 110 metres. Nowhere else in the region will you find such a concentration of hills paired with such expansive views. The rolling heathland of the Posbank is the literal and figurative highlight of the area. In August and September, this landscape transforms into a purple sea of blooming heather. From this vantage point, you can gaze out over the vibrant river landscape of the IJssel Valley, and on clear days, even as far as Germany.