Go into nature for a lovely walk or a nice bike ride. You will certainly enjoy the beautiful nature reserves in the Schagen area. From the dunes to the forests, from the polders to the beaches, there is plenty to discover. Who knows, you might even come face to face with one of the many animals that live here.
The Zwanenwater is located south of Callantsoog. This protected nature reserve has the largest natural dune lakes in Europe. Here you walk through dune valleys full of flowers and butterflies. From the bird watching huts you can spot dozens of birds. The unique dune landscape contains an exceptional number of plants and animals. From May to early July, eleven types of orchids bloom.
Go the the ZwanenwaterYou can take a nice walk in this special forest. In the spring, the ground is covered with a blue carpet of wild hyacinths. There is a treasure hunt for children. In the summer you will find cooling and in the autumn many mushrooms grow.
Go to the WildrijkThe Kooibos in Callantsoog owes its name to the duck decoy that was built there in the 17th century. As a nature reserve, the forest is especially important because of the special vegetation. The Kooibos is accessible during the guided tours, on Wednesday morning.
Go to the KooibosIn the area on both sides of the Zeeweg in Sint Maartenszee, very clean water flows through dune brooks (dune riots), originating from the freshwater bubble from the dunes. This water is transported to the nearby Wildrijk Nature Reserve via a specially constructed connecting ditch. For example, the nature reserve is supplied with pure dune water. The banks are ecologically designed.
Click here for more information about Sint Maartenszee.
This duck decoy is very old. The forest is designed as a bird forest. There are also bat boxes. This duck decoy was restored in the eighties and furnished as a real demonstration cage. You can see the ducks up close from the observation cabin near the cage pool.
Go to Duck decoy 't ZandJust behind the Hondsbossche Zeewering is the vast Harger and Pettemerpolder. From the dike you have a beautiful view of the open meadow area in the polder. There are many birds to see, in summer many different flowers bloom, especially in winter it is full of ducks and geese and in autumn spoonbills visit the area.
Go to Harger- en PettemerpolderThis area is approximately 100 hectares. There is a reed bed of approximately 35 ha. The rest of the area is a small-scale polder landscape with a relatively high water level. In the spring you can spot meadow birds, in the autumn and winter teal, shovelers and hundreds of wigeons and in the migration period at the end of March and April waders.
Go to the SchagerwadThey make farm goat cheese at Utopia Hoeve; a traditional product made from raw milk from our own goats. You can see the goats from the goat panorama in the city.
Go to Utopia HoeveBecause of the warm temperature, the high humidity and of course the beautiful flora and fauna that you see around, it looks like you are in the tropics. Among the flowering plants, the most unusually colored butterflies of all shapes and sizes flutter in search of nectar and fruit.
Go to VlindoradoWith the typical Dutch windmill as a recognizable centerpiece, you travel all over the world. This way you will meet more than 100 types of animals. From giraffes, flamingos to parrots and zebras!
Go to Van Blanckendaell Zoo
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