Book a holiday home in Elspeet for climbing and hiking fun on the Veluwe

The nature around a holiday home in Elspeet is anything but modest. When the heath blooms abundantly in August, you’ll experience the pinnacle of scenic hiking on the Veluwe. The same goes for spring, when fresh greenery emerges. During this season, you can also admire adorable lambs during Lammetjesdag, an annual event on the Elspeter Heath. Various estates, forests with streams, and sand drifts are waiting to be discovered! You can also climb and scramble in the climbing forests near Ermelo or cycle to a former hiding camp from World War II.

Highlight from your holiday home in Elspeet: cuddle lambs on the heath!

The hilly heath near Elspeet is a beautiful natural area on the edge of the Veluwe. A marked route takes you across the heath as well as through forests and rural landscapes. The route starts in Elspeet or Vierhouten. On the heath, you’ll encounter grazing sheep at a sheepfold, where in spring you can admire and cuddle lambs during Lammetjesdag. Tip: take a walk from the Elspeter Heath to the Hulshorster Heath. Along the way, your eyes will feast on sand drifts, beech avenues, and streams.

Enjoy an educational ride with Covered Wagon de Lindeboom

A fun alternative for exploring the region is a covered wagon ride from Elspeet to Staverden. This way, you and a larger group can enjoy the heath and the varied farmland in an authentic and relaxed way. The ride is also educational, as the coachman enthusiastically tells stories about the history of the area. A stop at the Staverden estate is a delightful bonus that makes this outing highly recommended. Children will undoubtedly be thrilled, especially since they can take turns sitting up front with the driver.

Romantic walk on the Staverden estate

The Staverden estate deserves more than just a passing mention. It is considered one of the most beautiful estates in Gelderland, stretching almost all the way to Uddel. The landscape features a balanced mix of forest and countryside, with hedgerows, streams, and meadows. Before following a longer walking route, take a stroll around the white castle. The gardens are laid out in both French and English styles, resulting in a park with multiple faces. The geometric design with straight hedges and mazes shows the French influence, while the English style reveals natural layouts with romantic vistas and winding paths and streams. Particularly stunning is the blue wisteria cascading over an arched pergola.

Challenge yourself in the climbing forest of Ermelo

If you’re looking for more activity than just walking, the climbing forest in Ermelo is the perfect outing! Children as small as 1 meter tall can already participate, and the entire course ranges from easy to very challenging. Make your way from tree to tree via rope ladders, car tires, and many other obstacles, or glide down on the Falcon zipline. The course begins with low obstacles near the ground that can be done without being clipped in. Afterwards, you gain height, balancing and climbing while safely harnessed. “The Peak” is the most challenging course, requiring a minimum height of 1.50 m.

Walk along the Leuvenumse and Hierdense streams from your holiday home in Elspeet

Flowing water in a forest is always a beautiful sight. In the Leuvenumse woods, however, there’s a stream that you not only see but also hear! The Leuvenumse stream is the most important and longest stream of the Veluwe. Not just a trickle, but a substantial watercourse winding its way past monumental beeches. Routes can be followed from restaurant Het Roode Koper. The 9-kilometer Fonteinberg route is the most varied, leading through mixed woodland. Wild animals such as roe deer can be spotted, and woodpeckers make their presence known by drumming. You can also follow the sand drift route, which is shorter but tougher due to the loose sand.

Another option is a walk starting from Hierden near Harderwijk. At the beginning, you walk along the Hierdense stream, bordered by sloping banks — a beautiful sight! When the stream disappears from view, you continue through the Leuvenumse forest and reach the Cyriasische heath. To complete the variety, the route also takes you across the sand drift area of Beekhuizerzand.

Boardwalk trail on the Tongeren estate

Hop on your bike from your holiday home in Elspeet to the northern forests of Apeldoorn and take a walk through the Tongeren estate. Spotting wildlife is quite likely here, but the main reason visitors flock to this area is for the winding boardwalk trail. You can follow this path via two walking routes. In total, there are three routes, each taking between 45 and 75 minutes. A tour of the area treats you to heathland with forest edges and peatlands, with the boardwalk cutting through.

The Hidden Village

The Veluwe around Elspeet also has a unique history. In the woods of Vierhouten, there was once a hidden village. This cluster of huts, half-buried in the ground, sheltered a diverse group of people during World War II, protecting them from the Nazis. Mainly Jews, but also resistance fighters and Allied soldiers found refuge here. The huts that remain today are replicas, showing how cleverly the dwellings were camouflaged. Although tensions sometimes arose in the cramped quarters, the inhabitants managed to survive for a long time. Couriers provided food using stolen ration coupons. Though a few residents were eventually discovered by chance, the rest managed to escape.

Rent a holiday home in Elspeet

From cuddling sheep to exploring the poignant history of the Hidden Village, from climbing like a soldier in the Ermelo climbing forest to romantic walks through the picturesque Staverden estate — a holiday in Elspeet offers attractions with striking contrasts. Do you want to take unforgettable walks, ride along on an educational wagon tour, or learn about a World War II hiding place? Discover it all from a holiday home in Elspeet!