Millingerwaard

Beavers and konik horses

Millingen aan de Rijn - The Millingerwaard nature reserve is located in the floodplains of the river Waal (which splits off from the Rhine here). The area is home to beavers, large herds of Galloway cattle and Konik horses, as well as roe deer and is a popular spot for bird watchers. Also nice is that you can stroll here - that means you can also walk off the beaten track.

The Dutch are known for claiming land from water. But did you know they also return land? Instead of building larger dykes, the rivers nowadays get more space to accommodate large volumes of water that enter the Netherlands when it rains or when the snow melts in spring, upstream in Switzerland and Germany. The extra space is a great habitat for all kinds of animals.