If you have done any research on the Netherlands or visited here, then you are probably quite familiar with the cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Den Haag.
You may even know about Eindhoven, Arnhem and Maastricht.
But you may not be aware of the 5,400 hectares of woodland, heathland, peat bogs and drift sand located in the province of Gelderland that makes up the national park, De Hoge Veluwe.
De Hoge Veluwe National Park was originally formed in the early 20th century by the couple Anton and Helene Kröller-Müller. Anton was a keen huntsman and Helene was a fan of art. Together they decided to unite their two interests by creating a wildlife park and art museum. From 1909 to 1923, the parks foundations were laid, animals were brought in, works of art were purchased and the construction of the art collection museum began. But the economic crisis in 1923 hit the couple hard. The park was transferred to De Hoge Veluwe National Park and the art collection was donated to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Despite the change in plans and owners, the aim has remained the same – to bring together nature and culture for the common interest.
A visit to De Hoge Veluwe National Park will put you in touch with nature. There are a vast array of walks, cycle tours and bridle paths. You’ll also find three museums, food and drink facilities, a park shop, a campsite and organized activities. There are also the famous white bikes, which I will tell you about next week. In other words, there is something for everyone and plenty to keep you busy.
The wildlife population within the park (big game, spring population figures), consists of:
- 200 red game (deer)
- 300 fawn game (roe)
- 50 black game (wild boar)
- 200 mouflons (Corsican sheep)
The park is open for various times depending on the month, so it is best to check the website before you go. But in general, you will find it open at least from 9am to 6pm. The Visitor Centre, Museonder, Park Shop and the Kröller-Müller museum all have their own separate opening times.
An adult ticket to enter the park will cost you €8. A ticket for children aged six to twelve is €4 and to park your car outside the entrance will be €2. For more information, visit the website.
Have you visited De Hoge Veluwe National Park? What were the best bits? What hints and tips do you have for visiting?
Comments:
bestiutza:
hello,
I understand that tomorrow is a national holiday for Netherlands and I was wondering if the park is open for visiting
heather:
@bestiutza Hi, sorry for the late reply but I was away on holiday. The best way to know about opening hours and days is to check the park’s website directly. You can find it here: http://www.hogeveluwe.nl/en/your-visit/opening-hours/94 Looking at the page it looks like the park was closed for both Easter Monday and Whit Monday. Hopefully, you will be able to visit another time!
bestiutza:
hello!
On 1st july I looked on the website and was nothing mentioned. I also tried to make a phone but I didn’t find it (just a fax nr). I tried to give them an email but the first e-mail address was wrong and at the second address I received a reply that they will give me an answer in 2 or 3 days :))). Then I decided to write on your blog to help me with some informations.
In the end I decided just to go there and the park was opened!
heather:
@bestiutza Wow! What an adventure you had to go on. Much impressed with your perseverance and super glad to read that you managed to visit. How was it? Did you like the park?
bestiutza:
For those who wants just to take a walk by foot I don’t recommend this park. To see as much as possible and to enjoy the real view you have to go on the bicycle. The park is huge! On that day all the bicycles were rented but it wasn’t for us a problem because I don’t know how to ride on it. The parking was 2 euro for the entire day. You will also need a gps if you are new because there aren’t many info signs to reach at one of 3 entrances. If you decide to go on weekend look on the google maps and choose the entrance with the bigger parking space.
We walked till we’ve got to the food and drink area (the koperen kop), visited the Museonder (no fee for entrance) and also visited Park Shop in the Visitor Centre. Recently I bought a bike and when I’ll be learning to ride on it definitely we will visit that park again. To see the animals you have to go almost when the sun goes down and stay in special places. We also recommend a pair of binoculars.