Early Sunday afternoon we drove last minute to holiday home Woeste Hoogte 15. There was snow on the Veluwe. Sled in the boot, warm clothes on, and a few hours outside.
We selected some hills on the forest hills near the park, at Schenkenshul. From Woeste Hoogte 15 it's about a quarter of an hour's walk, handy for a spontaneous afternoon on the sled.
How often does snow lie on the Veluwe?
After such an afternoon we looked up what the figures say. Snow on the Veluwe is becoming rarer. Where there were still an average of 23 days per year with a closed snow cover in the Netherlands around 1961, there are now only 3 days. Frost days have also decreased significantly: from an average of 67 days per year around 1965 to only 40 days now. (KNMI)
For the Veluwe, this means winters have become unpredictable. Sometimes a thin layer, sometimes nothing, sometimes a white day like this one. In December 2017, a snow cover of 34 centimeters was measured in Hoog-Soeren on the Veluwe. Due to warming, snow is becoming increasingly rare; when it lies, it is worth heading out.
Why such days stick with you
An afternoon like this needs little planning: no full schedule, just being outside. Cold, silence, forest. Winter slows things down, and you only notice when it happens.