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 Nederlands /
Dutch
The dunes of
Noord Holland
The dunes are one kilometer
from our house. When I dig to the deepth of 1 meter in the garden, I get
sand. In the
years we lived here, the soil has been improved by adding compost, But it is
still light soil..
History.
The dunes in the Netherlands are much younger than, for example, the river
dunes. 20.000 years
ago the North Sea did not exist yet. There was a dry inhabited area. About
10.000 years ago during a climate change the sea level began to rise. About 8000 years ago the Dutch coastline was established. There were also large
fen areas.
The ancient dunes and sandy beaches were formed 3000 v AD - 1000 AD.
The younger dunes and beaches were formed from the 12th century AD.
The dunes were formed of course by the winds along the sand. They were stabilized by vegetation, like
sand couch (Elytrigia juncea subsp. boreoatlantica) and European beachgrass (Ammophila arenaria).
Later by common juniper (juniperus communis) and sea-buckthorns (Hippophae
rhamnoides). The common juniper is disappeared in the dunes. In some parts are
forests now.
From 1400 - 1600 there was much wind. The ancient dunes were covered by new
sand.
South of Bergen lime-loving plants grow in calcium-rich sand. The sand (blown
from the sandbanks) is from different areas. That's why the sand is not
sometimes deficient in lime.
Deficient in lime near the village Schoorl: heather (Calluna vulgaris), creeping
willow (Salix repens)
Calcium-rich: sweet briar or eglantine rose (Rosa rubiginosa, Rosa eglanteria),
sea-buckthorns (Hippophae rhamnoides), wild privet (Ligustrum vulgare) en elderberry
(Sambucus).
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The area between Bergen and Bergen aan Zee. 16-11-2008 |
| Near the sea Bergen aan Zee direction Egmond. 23-03-2008 |
De slufter - Texel
The dunes of Texel I also visit regularly. However, usually with many children
and
then you don't have much time to study nature.
The Slufter always makes the biggest impression. I enjoy this area. It is located in the north of
Texel.
During a heavy storm in 1851 the dunes broke at different places.
(including
the Krim and the Muy) The closing of the Slufter failed.
Now everybody is happy with the Slufter.
At high tide seawater streams into the Slufter through creeks and at low
tide it streams out again.
Because of the salty water the vegetation consists of salt tolerant plants
like sea lavender (Limonium vulgare), salicornia, sea thrift (Armeria
maritima) and seaside alkaligrass (Puccinellia maritima).
Furthermore, there are many birds.
In 1997 it's been tried to make a "small slufter" between Bergen
and Schoorl. (De Kerf) The dunes were broken. But it wasn't a succes
because the wind blow new sand in it.
The Slufter - Texel (photo 2006) |
De Kerf.
I cycled to the Kerf on April 6. It was nice weather. But
unfortunately a bit foggy.
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From Bergen to Schoorl. I cycled through the forest. But there are also beautiful
views. Too bad that the heath is not flowering yet. |
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A board with an explanation. Observation point.
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The Kerf. There is no water. View to the other direction. |
I have taken some photos, when I walked back to my bike.
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On two photos, you can see the forest in the distance. The last picture is
the path towards Schoorl aan Zee. |
Here are some photos of the same area on a beautiful day August 23, 2009. The
heather was in bloom. It has been a long dry summer.
 Dunes
with flowering heather. |
One place I stopped and I have taken some photos around me. It is nice to
see how different the dunes are.
Noordhollands Duinreservaat.
This area belongs to the Noordhollands Duinreservaat. (North Holland Dune
Reserve). This is between the Noordzeekanaal and Schoorl. (approximately
5300 ha) and is in command of the province of Noord-Holland managed by
the PWN
(Provinciaal Waterleidingbedrijf Noord-Holland). (The Provincial
Water company North Holland ).
You have to pay for entry into the dunes. There are ticket machines located at
the entrance now. In the VVV shops, you can also buy annual subscriptions.
Forest fire - dune fire near Schoorl.
Sunday 6-9-09 I have cycled to Schoorl to watch the damage of the fire.
I have taken some photos of the outside of the burnt area. A part of the
area was still cordoned off. I haven't been there of course..
The nature on the photos will recover quickly I think (hope).
Next year, I'll take pictures, to see how fast it recovers.
On this photo I was on the way to burned area. In the distance you can see
it. |
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Bergen aan Zee - Parnassia Park (Photos June 2009)
In Bergen aan Zee (Bergen to the Sea) is situated the park Parnassiapark. Formerly
we often walked through the park after a visit to the beach with the kids. Away from the crowds on the
beach.
Today there is a small education building, where changing exhibitions are held
over nature. Open: Sunday from 12:00 to 16:00. Volunteers from the group
Parnassia put the job done.
The park contains a pond, a botanical garden with wild plants, a playground and
a field including sheep and goats.
It is not big, but you can easily walk from the park into the dunes. Or of
course, to the beach.
| The road from Bergen to Bergen aan zee (Bergen to sea) runs through the dunes. There are also hiking trails and bike
paths, which go into the dunes. Cars are also parked near Bergen aan Zee. Sometimes for a
dune walk, but also because in Bergen aan Zee is no place to be found. |
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| The education building in the Parnassiapark. |
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| Parnassiapark. Wild flowers. Paddenpoel (Pond) |
| More photos of the Parnassiapark. |
Walk from the road to Bergen aan Zee. (13-9-2009)
On the right is a parking lot. From the parking you can have walk through the
dunes. (see photos right on top of this page.) We have crossed the road to
Bergen now and walked towards Egmond. ( old
photo) The walk you see pictured on the board .
It was raining slightly.
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We have taken the red route. There are also many grazers in the dunes. |
If you already have walked a bit, you suddenly see this
beautiful statue of Victor Westhoff.
Prof. Dr. Victor Westhoff (November 12, 1916 to March 12, 2001) is a
biologist. He was involved in vegetation science and nature. |
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We saw two horses in the wild. On the right picture you see a few hazy
spots. This is because the rain drops on the lens. |
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 A few photos of the dunes in the not too nice weather.
I can recommend the walk. Even if it rains. |
Dunes in Winter.
Photo's 10-1-2010. I have walked through the village Bergen to the
dunes. This time to the "Drie Banken". (the Three Banks)
First I walked along the ruļnekerk (Ruin
church) of Bergen and a statue of Roland Holst.
The church is build in the 15th century.
Because it was feared that the Spaniards, who had besieged Alkmaar, could come back, the church was burned in 1574. (during the Eighty Years
War ) Only a part is restored.
Fortunately, the ruins are still there.
Roland Holst 1988 - 1976. This famous poet lived in Bergen. He was nicknamed "Prince of Dutch poets". |
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On the outside of the village you can find the museum
"Kranenburgh"
In 1851 G.C.J. Reenen bought the area Bergen . His son Jacob van Reenen in 1882
built the house "Craen Berch" . Later the house was used as a mayoral residence and
called "House Kranenburgh". The artists Luceber and Ans Wortel and have
lived in Kranenbugh.
In the garden behind and in the front of the house are statues made by eg Jan Toorop and
Lucebert.
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I walked direction the village Bergen aan Zee. Then I turn right and go into the woods. Now I walk towards the village
Schoorl.
After the stairs in the picture you can turn right to the ski slope. I
turned left to the Drie Banken ( "Three Banks"). |
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Here you have a beautiful view of the "Three Banks" The area is so named,
because three banks have been placed at a high top.
Actually this area is called the Russengat (Russian hole). This is a
less funny story. On September 19, 1799, the Russians and French
were fighting on this place. The battlefield was part of the "Battle of
Bergen" (English and Russian against the French). In Bergen is the Russian Monument as a memory.
When there is snow, you see parents and children from Bergen on the sled. When our children were young, we've
often been here. The paths were were very slicky, for they were used
for sledding. |
 
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A few more photos of this beautiful area. |
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Here I am on the other side of the Drie Banken (Three Banks). I have
taken photos of the dunes and then I have walked back home. |
Already the third fire.
In April 2010 there was already the third dune fire. It is very probable that there is an arsonist. This time it was a part
of the dunes where I often bike. (Between Bergen and Schoorl)
| There are also small dune lakes. Old trees remain. The insects are happy with the trees.
There were some click beetles that day. This is an Ampedus. Information on
the page "beetles"
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This area with heath was completely burned. The fire had come to the bike path.
Here is a picture of better times: heath.
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If you continue to ride you can enjoy again the beautiful vistas without burnt trees. |
Winter 2010. Walk to the dunes. 18-12-2010
Saturday I walked through the snow to Bergen aan Zee (Bergen to the Sea). The weather was pretty gloomy. I was afraid
it was not possible to take good photographs.
The first picture is of the ruins of Bergen. There's always Saturday market. It was now very quiet. |
| First walked to the Wiertdijkje (Name of a street). There you have a nice view over the meadow and it is only two hundred meters. |
A
bronze statue of Herman Gorter in the snow.
Made by Hans Bayens. It stands along the Zeeweg (Seaway).
Herman Gorter (1864 - 1927) was Dutch poet and he
joined the Social Democratic Labour Party (Sociaal-Democratische
Arbeiderspartij or SDAP) in 1897.
Known for the super long epic poem "May" (1889). |
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After visiting statue I have walked through the dunes. I have no beautiful
pictures. The other photos are made when I walked again along the Zeeweg
(Seaway) |
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| On this picture you see how foggy it was. Beautiful. But I thought it was time to return.
Left of the road I saw in the distance the Highland cattle in the dunes in search of food. |
Winter 2010. Walk to the dunes. 20-12-2010
Two days later there was a lot more sun. I decided to walk again in the same
direction.
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The forest was very fairy. The pictures of the meadow look very different now |
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Aphotograph of the same curve. Now without the
fog. |
Pictures I made when I walked along the Zeeweg (Seaway). I saw
the Highland cattle, but they were too far away. |
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I also walked through the dunes. |
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At the Beach 30 January 2011.
A few pictures from the beach of "Bergen aan Zee". In winter. But without snow.
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One of the most photographed buildings from the beach. A photo from the boulevard. |
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Beach. The substructure of a restaurant. Each year the restaurant is rebuilt in the spring. A blue sea and blue sky. |
1 November 2011.
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Two small dune lakes and surrounding. |
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Then I cycled to one of the places where had been a forest
fire in April. There are some arsonists arrested. The fires are caused by different people.
The conifers have recovered well, but many birches not. The heath plain
disappeared. There isn't much young heather. It disappoints me. The water truck, which is placed after the fire, still stands. |
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  There are a few areas in the dunes with only sand. For this reason,
they have cut down trees. (Explanation on the board in Dutch)
The last picture is of a swampy part of the dunes. |
Bergen aan zee. Strong wind, beach. Photos: 9-12-2011.
When the wind blows, the beach is always worth to visit. Dark clouds and blue sky alternated quickly.
If you enlarge the picture below, you can see a glider. In the picture next to
it you can see it better. Two gliders flew more along the dunes back and forth. |
On 04-02-2012 I walked to the "Three Banks" (I've described on this page
already). This time I took a different route. I walked from Bergen on the Breelaan direction Schoorl. With a small meadow on the
left.
Near the Three Banks is the dry ski slope "Il Primo". The skimat lies on the sand. (1969) But now there was snow. The area is near the Three Banks.
| Photo 1: Meadow along the Breelaan. Photo 2, 3: The dry ski slope "Il Primo".
Photo 4, 5: The Three Banks. Winter . Photo 6: The same meadow. Now with a cow. |
Dune lake, forest cockroach.
One of the many dune lakes. Photo 19-8-2013. The photos
of insects in the dunes are mostly photographed in this area.
Not all insects I photograph in the dunes I place on the site. The insect
on the other picture is a Forest Cockroach (Ectobius sylvestris). A female.
The wings of the males are much longer. Length 9-11 mm. You can find them from May to October. They overwinter as eggs the first year, the second year as a nymph. Then they mature. Only the male can fly. They
feed on plant material. You will not find them in the house. These native cockroaches
are not the tropical cockroaches in the houses. Photo 11-9-2013. On
3-7-2014 I saw a male. |
Animals in the dunes.
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Moorland sheep in the dunes.
Nowadays there are moorland sheep in the dunes. They eat the grass, causing the heath is not overgrown. They don't walk freely through the dunes.
Some people think, that the sheep manure enriches the soil, allowing more grass.
I have noticed that this is also true for the other grazers. On the one hand they keep the dunes open on the other hand, the soil is
enriched. Photos 3-5-2013, 1-10-2013. |
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Exmoor pony's.
These ponies live in Britain in semi-wild herds in Exmoor National Park. Also in the dunes they feel at home. The brown pony is recognizable by
pale belly and the pale part to the nostrils. I always stop and look, when I meet them somewhere in the dunes.
Photos
20-3-2014. |
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Highland cattle.
Same spot in the dunes where I photographed the ponies. Like the ponies I meet them in many different places on the dunes. This is in contrast to the moor sheep.
People are advised to be a little careful. Photos 15-5-2014. |
March 18, 2024: I haven't added anything to the Dunes page in years. Time flies. In recent years I have taken photos of the dune area north of my home village of Bergen. I'll add them to this page.
Schoorl
To Schoorl. From Bergen I drive along the dunes to Schoorl. Horses are kept here. There is a high dune near Schoorl. Called Het Klimduin (climbing dune). As a child we went there on a school trip. Later we came there regularly with our own children. It is known in the wider area. photos
4-4-2020 |
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Hondsbossche Zeewering, Hondsbossche duinen
The dune area ends even further north beyond Schoorl and the existing protection was improved in 1880 by constructing the Hondsbossche Zeewering dike (5.5 km long to Petten). Since 2013, enormous amounts of sand have been sprayed in front of the dike, creating an artificial dune area De Hondsbossche dunes as extra protection.
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Camperduin, Schoorl. The beginning of the De Hondsbossche Zeewering and the man-made beach with a constructed lagoon.
Photos 8-3-2024
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We stopped halfway between Camperduin and Petten and climbed over the De Hondsbossche Zeewering to the man-made dunes with a wooden lookout hut. Photos
13-9-2020
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Petten
Petten. Here the dunes start again. Photos 13-9-2020 |
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Zwanenwater a duneaerea near Callantsoog
Beyond Petten lies the Zwanenwater, a dune area near Callantsoog with the two largest natural dune lakes in Western Europe. Photos
20-3-2021 |
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Nederlands /
Dutch
 
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