Walking in De Duinen van Texel National Park

Since 2002, the entire west coast of Texel has been designated as De Duinen van Texel National Park. This walking route takes you through two sub-areas: the Westerduinen and the forests of De Dennen.

Westerduinen
The Westerduinen have had more or less the same shape for centuries: here you see parabolic dunes and valleys that have been blown out by the wind. Elder bushes and sea buckthorns grow there. Many butterflies live in this rugged area, you can see them fluttering around happily. What makes this area really special is the ubiquitous silence. With every step you leave some of the everyday hustle and bustle behind you.

Texel forest
In De Dennen you walk through one of the most beautiful dune forests in the Netherlands. Most of it was constructed in the early 1900s. That turned out not to be easy: there was a lot of salty sea wind and the soil contained little food. On the drier soils you mainly walk between conifers. Along the western edge you will see more deciduous trees, which are better able to withstand the salty sea wind. At the cozy Bospaviljoen't Turfveld you can relax with a drink and a snack after your walk.

War memorial
There are several places on Texel that commemorate the Second World War. For example, the Georgian Cemetery just near Oudeschild is well-known. On your route you will find the small-scale Crashed Lancaster Bomber Monument in the middle of the forest. This memorial commemorates the crash of Lancaster ND 421 on January 15, 1944. Five crew members were killed. The two others were taken prisoner of war. Would you also like to cycle across Texel from Bospaviljoen't Turfveld? Then drive route 536978.

NB; During the breeding season (from March 1 to August 1) you cannot walk the part in the dunes.