From the city to the dunes

Enjoy a breath of fresh air with the salty sea air caressing your hair and a fantastic nature reserve that is unparalleled. The Schoorlse Duinen have a magnificent view of the North Sea, but the vast landscape of fields, dunes and forests also offers peace. The heathlands, which can also be found in this area, are unique in combination with the dunes. Nowhere in the Netherlands are they wider or higher than here. With a bit of luck you will see a sand lizard rummaging between the dunes, hear a pheasant or a nightjar whistling and you can enjoy tens of thousands of flowering orchids or 800 different types of mushrooms. The old canals, the cozy courtyards and the narrow streets of Alkmaar form a nice contrast. When visiting Alkmaar you should not miss a visit to the traditional cheese market: this is what made the"Cheese City\\\" famous! The atmosphere in the historical centre is picturesque and authentic, with hundreds of beautiful municipal and national monuments. It is not without reason that the city centre and the Westerhoutkwartier are protected cityscapes! Visit the Molen van Piet, or mill De Groot. The octagonal tower mill still dominates the cityscape as an old rampart mill. In 1884, Cornelis Piet bought the mill and had a house built at the bottom of the corn mill. A member of the Piet family still drains the mill. Then you pass the Varnebroeker mill, a whip water mill that had a predecessor that drained the Maalwater polder. The mill is characteristically located in a meadow and therefore has great landscape value. In the first half of 2013, the mill will be restored, so that the mill can once again participate in the water management of the Baafjespolder. You cycle through an area with flower bulb fields. Through the sea of colours you come near Egmond aan den Hoef, where the Koffiemolen (body/remains) is located. This octagonal belt mill was built in 1899 for grinding corn. A first look at the mill tells you immediately that it is no longer capable of grinding.