Cycling through the Schoorlse Dunes

The Schoorlse Duinen National Park is a gem between Schoorl and Bergen. This route takes you through this area for a while, but you also get to know the polder landscape that can be found on the other side of these towns and around Alkmaar.

From the dunes to the cheese market
From Schoorl you immediately cycle into the Schoorlse Duinen. A century ago this area was one big sandbox, but now you will find high dunes, forests, all kinds of vegetation and dozens of bird species that like to breed here. Every now and then you will encounter a tough climb in this area, but it is definitely worth it. You have a beautiful view from the tops of the high dunes. Then you cycle through the towns of Bergen and Het Woud to the cheese city of Alkmaar. In the old center of this city you will find one historical sight after another. The cheese market, which is held every Friday morning on Waagplein from the beginning of April to the end of September, is also worth a visit.

Mill splendor in the polders
In the Polders between Het Woud and Alkmaar you cycle past two windmills. The first mill on the route is the Wimmenumer Mill. This mill was built in 1774 to drain the Wimmenemerpolder. In 1951, this task of the mill was taken over by an electric pumping station. Nowadays the mill is kept running on a voluntary basis. The second mill you encounter is the Bosmolen from the 16th century. This mill is also still used by volunteer millers.