The Hoge Veluwe National Park in the Netherlands is a national park in the province of Gelderland near the town of Wageningen. The lovely, large expanse is made up of grasslands, sand dunes, and heavily wooded areas. Wildlife includes numerous species of deer and boar. Experts say that the landscape of the park was created during the last Ice Age. The park forms one of the largest continuous nature reserves in the Netherlands.
How to get there: From Utrecht, the easiest way is to go to Wageningen station by train, and then take the bus to the park. The bus driver sells the entrance tickets, extremely thoughtful of the park management, and the bus drops you off by the museum and large cycle stand.
Museum? Well, situated within the park is another gem, a museum that houses a huge variety of old and modern art, including a large collection of Van Gogh's paintings.
Wageningen station.
The bus stop attached.
Farmland situated between the bus stop and the park.
First stop, then, the Museum which houses many of Van Gogh's famed works including the Potato Eaters. Photography is allowed, without flash, of course.
One of the series of Wheat Field paintings.
The famed Arles Cafe, with vivid yellow and blue colours. From the position of the stars, astronomy has indicated that the photo was painted on 17 September, 1988.
Van Gogh painted several peasants of the south of France. This is a farmer wearing rough clothes and large boots.
The draw bridge.
Van Gogh painted many flowers, not just sunflowers.
Paul Gauguin.
The museum houses a large collection of modern art, including works in metal and stone.
The art gallery extends out to the garden, as well.
Now on to the outdoors section of the national park. Cycles are provided at no charge, white coloured for easy identification. The cycle stand has hundreds of cycles. Recommended to choose one that is in relatively good shape.
Varied landscape includes a stretch of sand dunes.
Cycling trails lead all around the park, with helpful signage along the way. Besides, Google Maps turned out to be very helpful. The landscape turned to a wooded one, with clouds threatening to release the water. Fortunately, the weather stayed dry.
Even more helpful, a cycle pump!
Bridges have been build across waterways that were dry at that time.
Most of the time I was the only rider, with nobody else in sight. A slightly eerie feeling. About the only sound for most of the hours that I cycled around was the sound of the cycle tyres on the road. This part of the park looks like the Savannah of East Africa.
The grass lands give way to tall trees.
Ah, an attempt at a selfie. The stress shows on the face.
Cool, and dark in this patch of densely populated trees.
A few hours of cycling, and it's time to return the cycle near the gate.
A bus comes along soon, which drops me off at the bigger bus stop nearby at the village of Rotonde. A short wait, and the bus to Wageningen appears shortly.
Meanwhile, the weather has cleared up, and almost miraculously, cyclists, motor bikers and convertibles drive by, as if to celebrate the appearance of the sun.
Now it's time for some well earned rest. It's been a busy day. I find a lovely old pub "Tapperie - The Jug" a few minutes walk from the station.
Something to eat, washed down by a local beer.
Finally, a strong tripel Kasteel, for the road.
An ancient cash register on the counter.
The ubiquitous cycle stand at the Wageningen Station.
Soon enough, I'm on my way back to Utrecht.
A day well spent - a marvelous museum, a multi-landscape national park, cycling around for hours where the only sound is the sound of the cycle tyres on the road, and finally the quaint and friendly "Tapperie - The Jug" pub.
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