Leuvenumse Bos, Forest and nature reserve near Ermelo, Netherlands
Leuvenumse Bos is a forest and nature reserve on the northern Veluwe, close to Ermelo in the province of Gelderland. It combines pine and deciduous woodland with open heathland and sand fields crossed by the Leuvenumse Beek.
For centuries the land was an open sand plain shaped by ice age winds, with little vegetation to hold it together. In the 19th century pines were planted to stabilize the ground, and in 1911 Natuurmonumenten bought the area to protect it.
The Leuvenumse Beek draws walkers who follow its banks through the trees, listening to the sound of moving water. In autumn, the beeches that line the stream turn gold, and the route along the water is one of the most visited in the area.
The paths are unpaved, so they can become muddy after rain, and sturdy footwear is a good idea year-round. Dogs must stay on a leash throughout the area, and flying drones is not permitted.
A section of the reserve known as the Cyriasische Veld, or Harrie Jakkes Veld, takes its two names from an Amsterdam family who once owned it and a preacher who held open-air services on the spot. Today sheep and cattle graze freely across it to keep the heath from closing over.
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