Nationaal Park De Hoge Veluwe

Heather, sand and silence

De Hoge Veluwe is one of the few places in the Netherlands where you find landscape, nature and wildlife all in one location. Not an artificially assembled backdrop, but a place that simply works. The park covers more than 5,000 hectares and combines heathlands, sweeping sand drifts and dense forest. That variety makes it interesting for photographers, but also demanding. You need to know where you are going.

When to go

The heather bloom in August gives the fields a purple-pink colour that glows beautifully in low light. Arrive early, before nine, as the chance of mist is greatest then and the light is soft. In September and October the rut begins. Red deer are active at sunrise and dusk, particularly around the open plains in the southern part of the park. Late summer and early autumn are, in my view, the strongest period for this park. In winter the forest has its own appeal, with bare trunks and frozen puddles, but the variety is more limited.

Compositions and focal points

For the sand drifts around the Pampelse Zand, a wide angle works well. Small ripples in the sand as a foreground, a dry tree or shrub as a focal point. Preferably use 16mm to 24mm on a full-frame body. For wildlife you need more reach. A 300mm or 500mm is not overkill when shooting red deer. Keep your distance, especially during the rut. The animals are on edge at that time and you are in the way if you get too close.

Practical information

The park is not free. You pay an entrance fee per person and per car at the gate at Otterlo, Hoenderloo or Schaarsbergen. White bicycles are available inside the park to get around without a car. That works well if you want to visit several locations. You park at one of the entrances. Depending on the season, the park opens around seven or eight o'clock. Check the current times in advance. Drones are not permitted, not even with a permit for private photographers. Be aware of the rules around leaving the paths, particularly in sensitive areas such as the sand drifts.

Sources and further reading

• Nationaal Park De Hoge Veluwe – officiële website
• Beheerder: Stichting Het Nationale Park De Hoge Veluwe – bezoeksinformatie
• Wikipedia: Nationaal Park De Hoge Veluwe