JUNE 2020
For Hielke’s birthday I gifted him with a weekend trip to the Veluwe, and surprisingly we were actually able to go despite of COVID-19. Hielke and I had been wanting to stay the night in a Yurt for quite some time, so we were happy to that we got to make this happen in the disappointing year of 2020. We found our weekend in the Veluwe the perfect break from all the COVID madness and even forgot that we were in a pandemic for a short amount of time. I would absolutely recommend to book a weekend in nature as this is the perfect way to take your mind off the current situation.
The Yurt
A yurt is a round tent which is very common in Central Asia. The construction consists of wood or bamboo and it is portable (though that seems like a lot of work) and it usually features a fireplace in the middle of the tent. As yurts are getting popular with yogi people, yurts can currently be found in many countries. The Netherlands has a few Yurts and I found our Yurt on Airbnb. The Yurt we stayed at is called “Living in the round” and can be found in Laag-Soeren, right next to nature reserve The Veluwe. I paid € 200 for the weekend, which wasn’t cheap but we loved the amenities and the decorations of the Yurt, so I would say it was worth it. Because of COVID-19 we weren’t able to use the common shower area of the camping on which the Yurt was situated, but we did have a compost toilet which added to the adventure! I miss adventures so much, that I even loved going to the compost toilet 😉 The Yurt was fully stocked with kitchen items and appliances, so it was very easy to cook. The Yurt is located on a camping, but I found the level of privacy sufficient, especially as we visited during the off-season.
Radio Kootwijk
On our second day we decided to cycle all the way to Radio Kootwijk (about 2 hours one-way). Radio Kootwijk is a former radio station in the middle of nature reserve The Veluwe, which was set up to communicate with the Dutch colony Indonesia. The building is very special, the architecture combines Art Deco with concrete, which I had never seen before. Usually you can visit Radio Kootwijk on the inside, but this was not possible due to COVID-19. Radio Kootwijk can also be used for events and wedding photos. As it was not possible to enter, we had a picknick with views of Radio Kootwijk instead. If you have seen the movie Divergent you might understand why the landscape surrounding Radio Kootwijk gave me a dystopian feeling (very fitting for this pandemic).
When you cycle from Hoenderlo to Radio Kootwijk you will pass a very nice bicycle lane which gives access to sand dunes. Of course I had to stop for some twirling pictures, because how could I not.
Posbank
The Posbank is one of the most familiar areas in National Park The Veluwe. During summer time this part is extra beautiful because of all of the purple heather flowers. We decided to bring a short visit to the Posbank in the evening, just before sunset, to take some pictures. Please note that you are not allowed to be at the Posbank after sunset, as you will interrupt the nightlife of the animals living there. We often visit the Veluwe and we have spotted wild horses, foxes and birds of prey on other occasions.
The last morning
On our last morning Hielke went mountain biking, while I snuggled up to the fire with my breakfast! The Veluwe actually has some hills, in contrary to most of the Netherlands, so it is an excellent place to go mountain biking if you are in shape. You do need a permit (MTB-vignet) for € 12 per year, or a day pass for € 5. You can read more about this permit when you click this link.
Hallo Hanneke en Hielke….zo zie je maar hoe mooi Nederland ook is….gr.