In Gelderland, about an hour and a half from Amsterdam, Hoge Veluwe National Park brings together heathland, sand dunes and pine forests across a 5,400-hectare nature reserve. Visitors can explore its 40km of cycling paths on around 2,000 free-to-use white bikes.
The park sits within the wider Veluwe region, a forested ridge stretching 37 miles from north to south. Its varied landscapes support wildlife including roe deer, beavers, wild boar and wolves. Nature guide Hanna Pol also points out several kinds of woodpecker during a walk in the woods. Wolves returned to the Netherlands in 2015 after an absence of about 150 years, though their presence remains controversial among farmers concerned about livestock.
The region’s attractions extend beyond the outdoors. In Apeldoorn, Paleis Het Loo, a 17th-century royal palace, was once the summer residence and hunting lodge of William of Orange III and Princess Mary II Stuart. The site features ornate rooms, formal gardens and an underground museum about the Dutch royal family.
Harderwijk, a historic Hanseatic city on the shore of Wolderwijd lake, offers cobbled streets, medieval walls and an Old Town Hall. Within Hoge Veluwe National Park, the Kröller-Müller Museum combines a major art collection with a sculpture park containing around 200 works. Its 88 Van Gogh paintings were being shown together for the first time since 1984, in an exhibition scheduled to run until 3 January.
A short ride from the museum is Jachthuis Sint Hubertus, the former country residence of the Kröller-Müller family. The house has a watchtower more than 30 metres tall and stands beside a lake. Nearby accommodation includes forest cabins at Buitenplaats Petersburg, Hotel de Echoput and the holiday park Het Lorkenbos in Otterlo.
Sources: The Guardian Travel.