Rheden – Hiking in Veluwezoom National Park

If you’re looking for a hotel in Rheden and hiking is a key factor in choosing your destination, Veluwezoom National Park is an important point of reference. It covers more than 5,000 hectares and is part of the Veluwe, a large, continuous natural area. Its landscapes include forests, heathland, drifting sands and country estates; the natural environment is almost untouched. The park is characterised by its pronounced relief, with an especially large number of hills, as well as its expansive views. In clear weather, the view from the Posbank stretches for more than 20 kilometres.

Hiking trails and navigation

The marked, 5-kilometre “Veluwezoom-Posbank” hiking route crosses the heights and valleys of the heathland hills at the Posbank. The “Heuven Beekhuizen Veluwezoom” route takes in a different landscape: it leads through the forest, alongside bodies of water and along the banks of the Beekhuizense Beek. The two trails have different focuses—heathland hills on the one hand, forest and water on the other.

The “Veluwezoom-Posbank” route starts at the Veluwezoom Visitor Centre. It is about 1 kilometre, or a 12-minute walk, from Rheden NS railway station. The Visitor Centre is also not far from the city of Arnhem, and the Posbank can be reached on foot. Check the route and access before setting out. You can rent bicycles and scooters from the VVV in the same building as the Visitor Centre. Check in advance whether rentals are available.

For a short walk, the “Schaapskooi Veluwezoom” route near Rheden passes through the Heuven estate to the sheepfold. It is also suitable for grandparents and children. This offers another way to explore the area on foot, in addition to the marked 5-kilometre route across the heathland hills.

Heathland, sheep flock and landscape management

The Rhedense Schaapskudde is one of the oldest surviving sheep flocks in the Netherlands. It has grazed the Rhedense Heide around the Posbank for more than 60 years. On behalf of Natuurmonumenten, the flock helps keep parts of Veluwezoom open and promotes biodiversity in the open landscape.

The Schaapskooi Rheden is an old, historic sheepfold on the Heuven estate, north of Rheden. Since 1956, it has served as a home base for a large flock of Veluwe heath sheep. The short route to the sheepfold thus combines a walk through the estate with a place closely connected to regional sheep farming.

Cycling and other places

You can also experience the landscape by bike on a dedicated route: “Rondje Posbank” passes the Posbank, which is almost 90 metres high, in Veluwezoom National Park. The 34-metre-high Brandtoren stands near the Posbank. It is open to visitors to climb up to a height of 6 metres. You can rent bicycles at the Visitor Centre; rentals are provided by the VVV in the same building. Check in advance whether this service is available during your visit.

The IVN Garden of the Oost-Veluwezoom branch is on the Heuven estate in Rheden and is maintained by members of the branch. Guided tours can be arranged by appointment. The village church (Dorpskerk), with its two unique organs, offers a different cultural attraction: the main organ is a Meere organ dating from 1816. It was expanded in 1878 and restored in 1954, 1979 and 2011.

Discover more destinations: Dieren, Velp, Ellecom, De Steeg

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