Tour through the Amsterdam Water Supply Dunes

This is a very exclusive walk, as you enter an area that is only accessible to walkers. Even cyclists can't get in and what's so nice, you don't necessarily have to stay on the paths, but you can roam right through the area. You also have the chance to come face to face with a fallow deer!

You start with the walk in the small town of Vogelenzang. It is located in the middle of the Bollenstreek, so in spring and summer you can enjoy a beautiful palette of colors here. With a view of the stately country house Huis te Vogelenzang, the run-up to the hiking area in the dunes is also quite nice.

When the gate closes behind you at the Panneland entrance and you are actually in the water supply dunes, realize that you have to be calm to encounter one of the fallow deer. The dune is no less than 3400 hectares in size, which is about 5 kilometers wide and 10 kilometers long. You explore part of the area on this walk. The Waterleidingduinen are of great importance for the drinking water of Amsterdam. Two-thirds of the drinking water for Amsterdam is pre-purified here. The water comes from the river Rhine and is pumped into the dune after an initial cleaning. There, full use is made of the unique purifying effect of the dune. The water is'stored\\\' in the dunes for three months. It then flows to the treatment plant at Leiduin where it is completely prepared into tap water. This purification has been going on since 1853, when Prince William of Orange opened the Oranjekom reservoir, which is now a collection pond at the visitor center. Over the years, more and more canals and trenches have been dug. Because the area is so shielded, nature can take its course undisturbed. This produces a special landscape. But the Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen are best known for the large herd of fallow deer. It is estimated that there are about 2000 fallow deer. You probably know these beautiful spotted deer of which the males wear the very special so-called hoe antlers, where the ends of the branches are connected to each other by plates, from the deer camps. How much more fun is it to actually see them here in the wild.

The walking route runs along the Pannelanderveldjes, where a dune farm once stood, and over the Ome Janneberg. The fields, which were used for potato and vegetable cultivation, are still clearly visible in the terrain. In the meantime, pay close attention and peer between the thickets at the fallow deer. In fact, you can't have been here without seeing one. Tip: Bring binoculars and enjoy!