Route through the most beautiful, highest and widest dunes

This cycling route goes from Alkmaar through the beautiful dune and forest area between Egmond, Bergen and Schoorl. All the way to the Hondsbossche Zeewering in Camperduin where you have a beautiful view with the sea on one side and the flat polder land on the other. Stop at the beach for a nice lunch at one of the beach pavilions. An excellent area to clear your head and enjoy all the beauty that mother nature offers us. The difference in vegetation between the southern dune area between Egmond and Bergen and the northern dune area between Bergen and Schoorl is special. In the south the soil is calcareous and therefore somewhat barren. Sea buckthorn, marram grass and blue sea thistle grow here. In the north, the heathlands and coniferous forests flourish. While cycling you cannot imagine that the area near Schoorl used to be a large sandbox. In the 19th century, people were afraid that the sand would submerge entire villages. To combat this, Staatsbosbeheer started planting forests and marram grass. It was a hellish job with 12-hour working days being normal. The men had to deal with setback after setback. Drought, frost, locust plagues and voracious rabbits ensured that they had to start all over again with some regularity. After 60 years, the 'sand monster' was finally tamed and the area slowly took the shape you still see today.