Veluwe

Veluwe is a geographic region in the central-eastern Netherlands, largely within the province of Gelderland. It forms a sandy, elevated plateau that rises above the surrounding lowland areas and is characterized by extensive forests, heathland, and drifting sand. The landscape has been shaped by natural processes and long-standing land management, resulting in a mosaic of woodlands, heath, and open sand.

The Veluwe contains several protected areas. The largest is Hoge Veluwe National Park, established in 1935, which covers several thousand hectares and preserves forests, heathlands, and sand drifts. The park is known for its landscape diversity and for the Kröller-Möller Museum, which houses a substantial collection of Vincent van Gogh paintings. Visitors to the park are commonly offered free or low-cost access to a fleet of white bicycles for exploration of its trails. Another protected area on the eastern edge is Veluwezoom National Park, created in 1987, recognized for its rolling beech forests, heaths, and long-distance views. The region also includes various nature reserves and private estates managed by conservation organizations.

Human presence around the Veluwe includes towns such as Apeldoorn, Ede, and Harderwijk at or near its fringes, with the larger urban centers of Arnhem and Wageningen nearby. The Veluwe is a popular year-round destination for recreation, including cycling, hiking, wildlife watching, and countryside tourism. Ecologically, the area hosts populations of deer, wild boar, and diverse bird life, along with ecosystems dominated by heathland and coniferous or deciduous forest.