B&B Veluwe

Do you want to explore a forest or rather take long hikes on far stretched sandy trails surrounded by heath? And how would you like to explore? By bike, foot or maybe even by horse? With over 1000 square kilometers, the Veluwe is the biggest nature reserve in the Netherlands. It is characterized by hills, forests, shifting sands and heathland. The area has no clear borders and within the Veluwe there are two national parks. There is so much nature to discover of every part of the Veluwe and it will leave your senses tingling with excitement. Besides tranquility, the Veluwe also offers many special culinary initiatives, cultural hotspot and picturesque Hanseatic towns.

This all sounds pretty good right? Well, how about you make your stay even more special and stay in one of our B&Bs in the middle of the Veluwe. Your stay completely in nature is a guarantee and you can take a real break in and enjoy the serenity of the Veluwe. A bed and breakfast is typically a small accommodation where you rent a room in, for example the house, shed, or garden house of the host/hostess. This kind of accommodation is always very personal and as icing on the cake, breakfast is included as well! Furthermore, the host/hostess are always more than willing to provide you with all essential information about the area so you won’t have to miss a thing when visiting the Veluwe.

Mystifying landscapes

The Dutch people call the Veluwe the finest area of nature in the Netherlands and this is not without reason. It is a natural landscape formed by sand drifts, forests, steppes and heathlands. Furthermore, the Veluwe is home to tons of animals. You can even spot the Dutch ‘big five’. There are two national parks within the Veluwe.

There was a time when the Veluwe consisted for 70% of heathland and shifting sands. Nowadays, however, 65% of the area consists of forest. Many different kinds of trees can be found. The most common are birch, beech, oak and pine. The Veluwe is the largest push moraine complex in the Netherlands, reaching heights up to 110 meters. The large area of vegetation result in more than 500 different plant species. In autumn the ground is covered in countless amounts of mushrooms such as the fly agaric or sponge mushrooms.

In the Veluwe you are able to spot the Dutch ‘big five’, which consist of the red deer, fallow deer, wild boar, roe, and moeflon. But also, foxes, badgers, and pine martens roam freely. Furthermore, birdwatchers also won’t be disappointed in this area, more than 100 species can be found such as the black woodpecker or the nightjar. The open areas with sandy soils are also a perfect habitat for reptiles. Lizard species such as the viviparous lizard, sand lizard and hazelworm can be found as well as the smooth snake, adder, and grass snake. Maybe not immediately noticeable but certainly no less important, are the many species of insects living in the Veluwe. Since 2019, the wolf has also been spotted back in the area and it is predicted that more will follow in the future.

Never a dull moment in the Veluwe

For people of all ages, the Veluwe offers you countless possibilities to keep yourself entertained. Whether you are visiting with the whole family, with a dog, a group or just two of you, you definitely won’t get bored in this area. Start your day early and wake up together with the nature of the Veluwe. Follow one of the many hiking trails through the woods or heathlands and try to spot the wildlife. It will truly be magnificent. During the day you can also rent a bike and cycle through nature and then have a break in one of the many picturesque cities surrounding the Veluwe.

For the people who like an adventure, the Veluwe is the place to be! Take your mountain bike and ascend and descend on the trails. There are also activities for the whole family like a hunt adventure which is basically a big hide and seek in the middle of nature. Furthermore, you can take a safari in a land rover, do a dropping in the middle of nowhere or test your survival abilities. The Veluwe has two national parks which are worth a visit and in national park The Hoge Veluwe, is even one of the most beautiful museums of the Netherlands with a large sculpture garden and creates a perfect image of nature and art. It even holds a lot of van Gogh paintings and around it are many hiking trails.

Close to the Veluwe are also the Dutch Hanseatic Towns, which were towns focused on trade and a lot of their history is still visible today. The cozy townhouses, cobblestone paths, small alleys, and ports create an absolute picturesque place. Many of the Hanseatic Towns are surrounded by beautiful nature with vast water meadows along the river. If you want to visit all the Hanseatic Towns, there is even a hiking trail of 124 kilometers which takes you through all of them along the beautiful nature of the Veluwe and alongside the river Ijssel. Staying in a nature house B&B is the perfect way to explore these Hanseatic Towns without having to leave nature!

What to visit during your stay?

Hoge Veluwe

Within the Veluwe, there are two national parks which are definitely worth visiting. One of them is the Hoge Veluwe. It is 55 squared kilometers big and in it, is the largest terminal moraine of the Netherlands. It has large forests, shifting sands, fens and heathlands and four out of five of the Dutch ‘big five’ can be spotted. Throughout the park free bikes are available for you to discover the landscapes in an alternative way. The most well-known trees in the area are the Scots pine. Due to solitary, these trees have grown mainly in width and their unusual shape is popular for photographing.

In addition, the Hoge Veluwe Park is home to rare plants, such as the gentian blue and the scorzonera. On the shifting sands vegetation is sparse and you can spot the footprints of all kinds of animals. In the middle of this national park is also the Kröller-Müller museum which with its statue garden shows a perfect combination between nature and art. Throughout the park there are countless hiking trails for you to discover and to get lost in the beautiful landscapes.

Veluwezoom

The Veluwezoom is another national park in the Veluwe. Follow one of the many hiking trails or discover the park by bike, all is possible. If you are out for adventure, the park also offers mountain bike trails. The park is a great place to spot the red deer, especially in Autumn when it is mating season and the males are trying to impress the females by roaring. If you are visiting Veluwezoom, you must not forget to climb the Posbank. This 90-meter hill offers an incomparable view of the reserve and when the weather is clear, you can see up to 20 kilometers! On top of the Posbank you will find a monumental bench and a teahouse. Just as the rest of the Veluwe, the park is characterized by forests, heaths, drifting sands and large country estates.

Ginkelse heide

De Ginkelse Heide is another beautiful nature reserve near Ede. You can wander over the vast heathland and through the woods. The Ginkelse Heide is the habitat for many red deer, wild boar, sheep and roe deer. The area is known for its extensive heathlands. Different kinds of shrubs grow here. In Ede, you will find heather, and even the rare crow heather and lavender heather. You can enjoy this all year round. From mid-August to mid-September, the heather is even more breathtaking. Then the Ginkese Heide is in bloom and the bushes turn purple. The flowering period is also the perfect time for walking or cycling on the Veluwe.

Paleis het Loo

This place has it all; historical buildings, a rich history and a beautiful baroque style garden through which you can stroll. Located just outside of Apeldoorn, this UNESCO site is a must see for history and nature lovers. The former palace of the royal family is now open for visitation and is in the top 100 of the Dutch UNESCO sites. In the garden are multiple fountains and statues reflecting Greek mythology and it has been awarded the official status of botanic garden. Various fruit trees such as plum, apple, pear, and peach grow in the garden. You can spot a variety of roses, shrubs and bulb plants. The semicircular colonnades at the edge of the park ensure a beautiful view of the palace. The palace has been turned into a museum and it is the largest estate in the Netherlands. The entire estate is for 80% covered by trees. So, for your visit to the Veluwe, a trip to het Loo is something you can’t miss!

Picturesque places for your stay

Hattem

Between the northern edge of the Veluwe and the Ijssel lies the picturesque Hattem. This Hanseatic city has been a source of inspiration for many painters over the centuries. This is not only because the town is so photogenic but also because it is surrounded by woods and water which creates a beautiful landscape. With its location on the river Ijssel, it ensures an open view of the famous Dutch skies. As a Hanseatic city, Hattem flourished in the middle ages. This can still be seen in the beautiful merchant houses in the old town center. Parts of the original city wall have been preserved, just like the fourteenth-century Dijkpoort. The best part of this city is that it is surrounded by nature reserves so you are in the forests in a heartbeat!

Harderwijk

Harderwijk is another gorgeous city on the edge of the Veluwe and due to its location near the water, it used to be an important trade city. This results now in a bustling Hanseatic town rich with history and more than 100 unique monuments which were declared protected cityscape. Due to its medieval roots, strolling through Harderwijk will get you tons of picturesque locations. With its gorgeous rural area, beautiful cycling tracks along the water, and being near the Veluwe, Harderwijk is a city loved by cyclers. Cycle along the Ijssel, through the forests and over the heathlands and sand drifts.

Elburg

Elburg is another Hanseatic town on the edge of the Veluwe and with its narrow alleys, cobblestones pavements, old town houses, and splendid trees make it the perfect environment for strolls. Along the lakes you can make long cycling trips. In the winter the lakes are home to many swans, ducks and other water birds. Since it is also close to the Veluwe, you are very close to the heathlands and forests. Another way to explore the countryside of Elburg is hiking the so called “klompenpaden”. These trails offer a unique combination of walking along historical paths and farmland. It offers a various and sometimes even adventurous landscape as you climb over fences, cross bridges or go through a herd of cows.

What weather can you expect?

The climate classification in the Veluwe is a moderate maritime climate. Even for Dutch standards, the amount of precipitation each month is high and the peak of the rainfall in the Netherlands is in the Veluwe. This explains the growth of nature in this region. Because the Veluwe is in the Netherlands, no extreme temperatures have to be expected throughout the year. Generally, we recommend you to bring an umbrella, warm clothes, and shoes which can resist water.

The Veluwe, has four seasons. The big differences in these seasons are in the temperature which vary from about 4 degrees in winter to about 25 degrees in summer. The amount of precipitation per month does not vary that much. April is generally the driest month, followed by February. Contrary to what many people think, summer is not the driest season. No, in the months of June, July and August, there is a little more rain than average. This is mainly due to the summer rain and thunderstorms that occur during warm periods. In an average year, the annual sum is somewhere between 725 and 850 millimeters of precipitation.

Relax in a bed and breakfast

To make the best out of your stay in the Veluwe, book a bed and breakfast for a new and unique experience. A bed and breakfast is a room which you rent on the property of the host/hostess. Since each B&B is different, they always create a one-of-a-kind stay. Moreover, it basically combines the best of both worlds. It has all the facilities of a hotel, including a deliciously prepared breakfast every morning, but also the additional kindness of the host. For you as traveler, this can be very useful since they would love to provide you with all the ins and outs of the area, so you won’t miss a thing!

Bed and breakfast can be found in all kinds of accommodations. They can be in rare locations, such as in old school buildings, factories, windmills, or even castles. The best part about renting a nature house B&B in the Veluwe is that you never have to leave its stunning landscape since your house will be in it! You can wake up to the birds chirping, enjoy breakfast, ask the host/hostess for tips and be ready for another day of exploring only to cozy up again in the evening when you return. Just take a look at all the kinds of B&Bs that we offer because there is sure one which you will love.