Nieuw-Milligen – Forest, Heath and History

Nieuw-Milligen is surrounded by extensive forests, heathland and tranquil nature, and borders the Stille Kern of the Veluwe. The distinctive radar domes recall the area’s unique history and serve as a landmark in the landscape. This gives you several specific interests to consider when planning your trip: hiking trails through forests and former shifting-sand areas, a cycling route through forest and heathland, opportunities to spot wildlife, and historical traces. When looking for a hotel in Nieuw-Milligen, you can decide whether hiking, cycling, nature watching or local history should be the focus of your stay.

Nature Among Forest, Heathland and Raised Bogs

The Maanschoten nature area is home to numerous pollarded oak stools, which point to an earlier period of intensive woodland management. Alongside today’s forests and heathland, they make the forest’s former use a subject in its own right. Nearby lies Kootwijkerveen, a distinctive wetland and raised-bog area in the heart of the Veluwe. Nieuw-Milligen’s natural surroundings therefore include both the landscape around the village and a named wetland and raised-bog area nearby.

Hiking on Forest and Sand Paths

The 7.2-kilometre “Rabbit Hill – Nieuw Milligse Zand” hiking route, described in March 2025, starts in Nieuw-Milligen. It passes through mixed stands of conifers and individual plots with various deciduous and coniferous tree species on its way to Kootwijkerveen. It also crosses the former shifting-sand areas of Nieuw Milligse Zand and offers wide views across the gently rolling landscape. The route thus combines wooded sections, a named raised-bog area and open shifting-sand areas.

The “Caitwickerzand en Maanschoten” route passes through the former shifting-sand area of Caitwickerzand. The paths and trails there are mostly winding, often loose and sandy. The two hikes can therefore be distinguished by their described features: “Rabbit Hill – Nieuw Milligse Zand” is noted for its length, tree stands and wide views, while “Caitwickerzand en Maanschoten” focuses on the former shifting-sand area and the character of its paths.

Cycling and Wildlife Watching

The “Nieuw Milligen–Staverden” cycling route, described in July 2023, starts in Nieuw-Milligen and passes through forest and heathland landscapes typical of the Veluwe. The route lists Staverden Castle and Park as an excursion destination in the area around Nieuw-Milligen. This adds a cycling route with its own landscape setting to the hiking trails.

With a little luck, you can spot red deer, wild boar or Scottish Highland cattle in the area.

Local History and Archaeological Traces

The Nieuw Milligen inn once stood at the junction of Amersfoortseweg and Meervelderweg. Kamp Nieuw-Milligen is also part of the area’s history: it is a military camp in the village, on the boundary between the municipalities of Apeldoorn and Barneveld. Its history began in 1860 as a remount depot, which King Willem III made available to the First Infantry Regiment from Grave. The distinctive radar domes recall Nieuw-Milligen’s unique history and remain a prominent landmark in the landscape.

The area’s history also stretches far back archaeologically. Nieuw-Milligen is one of Apeldoorn’s securely identified urnfields, which were in use until about 2,500 years ago, towards the end of the Middle Iron Age. Kamp Nieuw-Milligen is surrounded by the Veluwe Natura 2000 area; its grounds are part of the Gelders Natuurnetwerk. These protected-area designations add the landscape setting of the camp to its historical context.

Discover more destinations: Hoenderloo, Apeldoorn, Ugchelen, Loenen, Uddel, Hoog-Soeren, Beemte Broekland, Beekbergen.

Go to the broader travel overview: Apeldoorn.