Sand dunes and beaches – best hikes along Netherland’s west coast

Stretching for 219 miles (353 km), the west coast of Holland boasts over 124 miles (200 km) of beaches. From dunes to white sand, bunkers dating to WWII, forests and wetlands, a walk along the North Sea is never boring. I will show you the most beautiful walks along the coast in this Collection.

The first hike takes you through the unique dune landscape of Texel, the largest of the West Frisian Islands. You walk from the famous Eierland Lighthouse, through the beautiful Slufter area, finishing in the quaint village of De Koog. To reach this island on the Wadden Coast, you can take a twenty-minute boat ride from Den Helder, making it easy to enjoy this spectacular area on a short trip.

Between the village of Schoorl and the beach, you can visit the highest sand dunes in the Netherlands. The Klimduin dune, standing at 167 feet (51 m) borders the village. This 7.5-mile (12 km) route takes you through forests, over sand dunes and to wonderful beaches. You can even sneak in a few metres of climbing.

Perhaps the most famous nature reserve along the Dutch coast is the Amsterdam Water Supply Dunes (Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen) which have provided Amsterdam with drinking water for over 150 years. The area is also a great place for walking. Keep your eyes peeled and you may even spot some fallow deer.

Just south of Kijkduin district in The Hague is the Sand Motor. This artificial peninsula created by humans has been shaped by the waves, wind and currents to create a unique coastline. The dunes are open to the public.

The Kwade Hoek Nature Reserve on the tip of the island of the Goeree-Overflakkee island is a lesser well-known area to explore. As the reserve lies outside of the dykes, wind and water have created a special stretch of nature teeming with birds and with sand dunes blanketed in orchids.

The last walk on this Collection guides you through Walcheren, a former island on the mouth of the Scheldt Estuary in southern Zeeland. Here, you will walk through dunes as well as historic former country estates where Russian and German nobility once owned homes. The route finishes in Westkapelle on Texel island where you meet the lighthouse once more.