City Getaway: Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen

Last summer I started exploring my own tiny, but beautiful country, the Netherlands, a little bit more. The past years I’ve traveled extensively, but those days seem to be gone now. Not only because of the travel restrictions, but also due to a more stable job and two adorable cat companions who are part of my life now. I’ve already discovered throughout the past years that the Netherlands has quite some nice spots, but don’t we all get lazy when it’s all too nearby? Now, I’m forced (with great pleasure) to explore my own surroundings which I happily share with you! Especially the place I want to introduce you to today is a perfect getaway while visiting Amsterdam.

Since I live in Amsterdam, I started exploring the places nearby, such as the Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen which is basically the place where the Amsterdam tap water is extracted from. The Waterleidingduinen are not directly in Amsterdam, but some 30 minutes by train to the beach town Zandvoort.

From the train station it’s approximately 20 minutes walk to the nearest gate. The area is fenced and you’ll need to buy a ticket for €1,50 which you can do online. On this website you can also get access to a map of the area, different hiking trails and more in-depth information on the rules and regulations. There are four different entrances and I’ve noticed that near to the entrances it tended to be crowded, but generally there were loads of spots where I didn’t encounter a single soul. Instead, I would bump into many fallow deer which is precisely the reason why I visited this area. There are so many of them around, chances are very small to miss out on them. I went a second time, together with my father and brother and initially it took us a while before we spotted the first deer, but once we had seen the first ones, they popped up on every corner. We even saw a fox, but unfortunately only once and this one ran off pretty quickly.

Even though I mainly went to see the deer, I also very much enjoyed the landscape. Part of the area is forest, other parts dunes and all over there are these wonderful water canals. As I mentioned, you could search for a recommended hike, but I just wandered around. The area comprises a total of 34 km², so if you’re short on time and you can’t afford getting lost, you might consider following a trail. Otherwise, I can really recommend just getting lost in the area and to especially stick to the small dirt tracks which offer a delightfully tranquil nature experience.

Since the area is so close to the beach, I finished off the day with a refreshing dip into water and the last sun tan of the year. Be aware that the exit from the Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen will lead you to the nudist part of the beach. If you’re not into that, you can just walk back towards Zandvoort along the beach where it gets more and more crowded, but people are also wearing more clothes ;) I truly enjoyed this area with its “wildlife”, the wonderful landscapes, the tranquility and the different water bodies. All in all, a perfect getaway from the city!