The Purple Hills of Posbank | The Heather Fields of Veluwezoom National Park, Hoge Veluwe, Gelderland | The Best Place to See Heather Bloom in the Netherlands
Welcome to the Netherlands - ‘The Land of Flowers’
When you think of the Netherlands, the first thing that comes to your mind is an endless ocean of vibrant flower fields. That’s why it has been very aptly dubbed as the ‘The Land of Flowers’ though it’s often equated to ‘The Land of Tulips.’ But to be honest, this beautiful country has a lot more to offer beyond just tulips when it comes to horticulture. Being the largest exporter of flowers in the world, the Netherlands makes up around two-thirds of the world’s total floral sales. And it goes without saying that they aren’t all just tulips. Every year, during the spring months of mid-March to mid-May, the whole country transforms into a vast ocean of flowers. It starts with cherry blossoms, crocuses, daffodils, and hyacinths between mid-March and mid-April, followed by the famous tulips between mid-April and mid-May and lavenders between mid-July and mid-August. But what many of us don’t know is that during autumn, we can also find hills covered with heather bloom in this otherwise flat country of the Netherlands. So, today I’m going to give you a tour of the best place to see heather bloom in the Netherlands - ‘The Purple Hills of Posbank.’ So let’s begin!
And, if you want to know where to chase cherry blossoms in the Netherlands, please read our article Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival) | Celebrating the Advent of Spring at Kersenbloesempark (Cherry Blossom Park) in Amstelveen, the Netherlands, or if you want to know where to find the best flower fields in the Netherlands, please read our article De Mooiste Bloemenroutes van Nederland | 4 Best Road Trip Flower Routes around Tulip, Daffodil, and Hyacinth Bulb Fields in the Netherlands, or if you want to know where to find the best lavender fields in the Netherlands, please read our article Best Places to Find Lavenders in the Netherlands | Best Lavender Fields in the Netherlands.
What is Veluwezoom?
Veluwezoom, a part of Hoge Veluwe (but not the Hoge Veluwe National Park), is the first National Park in the Netherlands, located close to the Hoge Veluwe National Park in the province of Gelderland near the cities of Arnhem and Apeldoorn. It has a hilly landscape with an area of 55 square kilometers, comprising heathlands and sand dunes created during the Ice Age.
What is Posbank?
Posbank is the highest point (90 m high) in the Veluwezoom. During early autumn (late August), the blooming heathers turn the place into a purple wonderland that’s earned it the title of the ‘Purple Hills of the Netherlands.’ Compared to other flat heather fields in the Netherlands, Posbank, with its rolling hills and varied textures, is a photographer's paradise.
When to Visit the Heather Fields at Posbank?
The purple heather fields carpet the hills of Posbank once every year between mid-August and mid-September. The best time to visit the heather fields at Posbank to see heathers in full bloom is in the last week of August. And the best time of day to witness the heather fields in their true glory is during sunrise and sunset. If you live close by, I recommend visiting before dawn to capture the mist rising over the purple hills at daybreak. And if you live far off, you can compensate by visiting during dusk.
What to Do at Posbank?
There are several walking and biking trails (some of them are marked). You can also hike through the hills to the different peaks to get panoramic views. We did that, and the views were rewarding. You can try nature or portrait photography, which can yield magical results during sunsets. You can also just sit under the shade of a tree and read a good book if you will, or simply choose to soak in the beauty of nature!
Visiting Posbank
Address: Parkeerplaats Posbank, Beekhuizenseweg 1, 6991 JM Rheden
GPS Coordinates: 52.0292° N, 6.0225° E
Parking: The address mentioned above is that of the parking lot at Posbank near the restaurant named ‘Pavilion De Posbank.’ But please bear in mind that it can be very busy during a sunny autumn day. So please plan accordingly.
Public Transport: It is not possible to reach the exact location of Posbank by public transport. But if you don’t have a car, the easiest route I can recommend is taking a train to Arnhem Centraal station, and then hiring a taxi.
Where else can you find Heather fields in the Netherlands?
Apart from the Posbank-Veluwezoom National Park, there are several other places where you can find heather fields in the Netherlands, out of which I’ve listed the most picturesque ones below for your kind reference -
Schoorlse Duinen, Schoorlse, Noord-Holland – Here, you can find purple heather fields amidst sand dunes.
Hoorneboegse Heide, Hilversum, Noord-Holland – Here, you can find the purple heather fields while hiking through the moorlands.
Dwingelerveld, Ruinen, Drenthe - Here, you can bike through the heather fields amidst dolmens, the prehistoric megalithic tombs.
Epilogue
So that was the best place to see heather bloom in the Netherlands - ‘The Purple Hills of Posbank.’ Please let us know in the comments below if you enjoyed reading this article.
And, if you want to chase cherry blossoms in the Netherlands, please read our article Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival) | Celebrating the Advent of Spring at Kersenbloesempark (Cherry Blossom Park) in Amstelveen, the Netherlands, or if you want to know where to find the best flower fields in the Netherlands, please read our article De Mooiste Bloemenroutes van Nederland | 4 Best Road Trip Flower Routes around Tulip, Daffodil, and Hyacinth Bulb Fields in the Netherlands, or if you want to know where to find the best lavender fields in the Netherlands, please read our article Best Places to Find Lavenders in the Netherlands | Best Lavender Fields in the Netherlands.
Alternatively, if you would like to explore more such hidden gems in the Netherlands, please read our article Netherlands Off The Beaten Track | 34 Best Hidden Gems in the Netherlands, or if you want to know about more such places to take fantastic pictures in the Netherlands, please read our article Instagrammable Netherlands | 33 Best Photography Locations in the Netherlands | 33 Top Photo Spots in the Netherlands. Until then, merry traveling and happy shooting!
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