Arrived in Otterlo

Yesterday, after about a five-hour drive, we arrived at Camping Otterlo in Holland. Our destination is the De Hoge Veluwe National Park and the Kröller-Müller Museum. We plan to take a week here to visit and explore the expansive area.

Geographically, the De Hoge Veluwe National Park is located in the province of Gelderland in the central Netherlands, in the Veluwe region, a landscape shaped by glaciers during the Ice Age. The park features a mosaic of various habitats, including pine forests, deciduous woodlands, open heathlands, grasslands, marshes, and some of the largest inland dunes in Northwest Europe.

These diverse habitats create an extraordinary ecological variety despite the relatively small size of the park. Seasonal changes shape the landscape throughout the year, from the purple heather blooms in late summer to the colorful autumn forests and the winter frost-covered heathlands.

The De Hoge Veluwe National Park ranks among the most species-rich in the Netherlands. Large mammals include red deer, roe deer, wild boars, mouflons, foxes, badgers, and pine martens. The park is particularly known for its populations of red deer, which are often seen grazing in open meadows and heathlands.

The birdlife includes buzzards, woodpeckers, owls, nightjars, and numerous migratory bird species. Reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, and native plants also contribute to the park’s biodiversity, making it an important refuge for wildlife in one of the most densely populated countries in Europe.