Walking in the Dunes of Texel National Park

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

Western Dunes
The Westerduinen have had more or less the same shape for centuries: you see parabolic dunes and valleys blown out by the wind. Elderberry bushes and sea buckthorns grow here. Many butterflies live in this rugged area, you see them fluttering around happily. What makes this area really special is the omnipresent silence. With every step you leave a bit 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. The largest part was planted in the early 1900s. That turned out to be not 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 see more deciduous trees, these 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. The Georgian Cemetery near Oudeschild is well-known. On your route, in the middle of the forest, you will find the small-scale Monument Crashed Lancaster Bomber. This monument commemorates the crash of Lancaster ND 421 on 15 January 1944. Five crew members were killed. The other two were taken prisoner of war. Would you also like to cycle across Texel from Forest Pavilion't Turfveld? Then take route 536978.

Please note: during the breeding season (from March 1st to August 1st) you cannot walk the part in the dunes.