Millingerwaard

Why the Millingerwaard is so special

The Millingerwaard is one of the wildest floodplains in the Netherlands. Close to Millingen aan de Rijn, where the Waal still flows almost unrestrained, you find a landscape that resists any kind of planning. Konik horses, Galloways and red deer roam freely here across an area that Staatsbosbeheer deliberately manages as little as possible. That gives the place a rawness you find almost nowhere else in Gelderland.

As a landscape or wildlife photographer, you come here for the combination of open flats, dense willow forests and the constantly shifting water level of the river. That interplay between land and water is what makes the Millingerwaard photogenic, not a single frame but an entire system that always looks different.

Light and season

Morning mist in autumn is the classic situation. When temperatures drop overnight and the water is still relatively warm, mist drifts across the low-lying parts of the floodplain. Galloways or Konik horses standing half-hidden in that mist, with soft backlight from a low sun, that is the image worth getting up for. Arrive early, especially in October and November.

In winter, high water changes the place entirely. Large sections of the floodplain flood and the trees stand on islands in a grey-brown expanse. That creates mirror reflections and an almost Scandinavian feel. Be aware that during extreme high water, paths may be closed or impassable.

Composition and focal length

A telephoto zoom from 200mm upwards is your workhorse for the animals. You want to keep your distance to avoid disturbing them, and the compression helps place the grazers against the river sky or mist. For the wide landscape with the Waal in the background, a standard to light telephoto zoom works better, somewhere around 70mm to 100mm, so you preserve the balance between land, water and sky without the frame becoming too narrow.

Look for the dike access ramps to get a slightly elevated viewpoint. From the dike you can see further into the area and have the river as your backdrop. At ground level, among the reeds or rough grass, you get more intimate shots of the grazing animals.

Practical information

You can park at the Millingerwaard along the Millingerdijk. The area is freely accessible, but stick to the marked paths and keep your distance from the large grazers, they are not tame. No access permit is required for photography without a tripod on existing paths. If you want to fly a drone, the usual rules of the Luchtvaartbesluit apply and it is advisable to arrange permission from Staatsbosbeheer in advance.

Sources and further reading

• Staatsbosbeheer – Millingerwaard
• ARK Rewilding Nederland – Millingerwaard
• Rijkswaterstaat – actuele waterstandsinformatie Waal