Hike invite: Nationaal Park Veluwezoom on Saturday, 8 November

Hello everyone! I’m excited to invite you to join a hike through one of the Netherlands’ most beautiful natural areas: the NS-wandeling Veluwezoom - on what promises to be a pleasant 14 degrees and sunny day!

Here’s why I thought this would be a great hike for our group of expats & friends:

What to expect

• The route takes you through the Veluwezoom region with gorgeous variety: forests, heather fields, rolling hills formed in the ice age (“stuwwallen”), old beech-alleys and wide views. Reviews call it “erg mooie, afwisselende en pittige wandeling”(“very beautiful, varied and challenging” ).
• It’s well-marked and fairly accessible, yet with enough ups & downs to make it feel like an adventure (and not just a flat stroll).
• The autumn scenery mid-November should be at its best: leaf colours, crisp air. Magnificent vistas - especially as the weather forecast is perfect for hiking (14 degrees and sunny).
• Travel wise: the start/finish points are reachable by train.

Plan and details

• Date & Time: Saturday, 8 November. Let’s meet at 11:30 AM (the 11:11 train from Arnhem arrives at 11:22).
• Route length & difficulty: Around 15,5 km The terrain has some climbs, so good hiking shoes are recommended. Not a hardcore mountaineer route (obviously), but certainly not a flat urban stroll.
• Starting point is Dieren railways station; end point is Velp railway station. It's not a round trip walk. If you come by car, you will have to leave your car at Dieren station and come back by train from Velp station.

What to bring

• Comfortable/waterproof hiking shoes (or boots)
• A light day-pack with water, snacks or lunch
• Layers of clothing (it may be crisp), plus maybe a hat/gloves if wind is present
• A rain-jacket or wind-breaker just in case (weather in November can surprise)
• Optional: camera or phone for photos—there will be views!

Pace & group vibe
We’ll walk at a relaxed but steady pace, allowing for photo-stops, chatting, and enjoying nature. Good opportunity to meet new people in the group, share - and enjoy the outdoors together.
Food / break: Bring your own snacks and hydration. As it's off-season, we might find cafés along the routes closed; if not, we'll have a coffee or tea during the hike or afterwards :)

Why join?

• For everyone living in the Netherlands or visiting, this is a lovely way to get outdoors, dive into Dutch nature, and connect with others in a relaxed, friendly setting.
• The combination of forest trails + open heather + views is unusual (for “flat-Netherlands” expectations) and many walkers say this route stands out. One reviewer said “Deze wandeling … staat op nr 1, wat een prachtige route.” (“This walk… is number one, what a beautiful route”.)
• Whether you’re an experienced hiker or someone just looking for a weekend nature outing, this is for you.

If you’re interested, please RSVP here in the group so I can get a sense of numbers. Also feel free to ask any questions.

Let’s make it a fun, sunny day in nature together. Hope to see you on 8 November!

Warm regards,

Klaas