North-Holland

Ankeveense Plassen

Starts in Bussum-Zuid (railway station) ends in Weesp

Length 22 km

Route description

Route map

GPS description (GPX file)

The route crosses former peat areas, where fuel for the city of Amsterdam was obtained. Other parts go through much dryer areas. Other guest warn you to bring your own lunch, because the restaurants on your way open late ( 4:00 PM).

 

Kennemerduinen

Starts in Santpoort-Noord (near Haarlem)

 

and ends in Overveen of Zandvoort

Length 16 km

Route description

Route map

This route starts at the edge of Haarlem. You cross the dunes towards the beach. At the beach you have two opportunities, walk over the beach to the bathing town Zandvoort or go through the dunes to Overveen, which also is near Haarlem. Zandvoort is a pleasant town to enjoy beach life. Haarlem is an old town with the Dutch Golden Age (17th century) as its main period. The route is very quiet, no traffic except a lot of cyclists.

Naardermeer

Starts and ends in Naarden-Bussum

Length 19 km

Route description

Route map

If you love bird-watching this route is the one for you. You walk around a lake, that was the first Dutch nature reserve.  You will not be able to keep a view on the lake all time, but at certain points it's a excellent route for bird watching. Naarden, where the route starts and ends is an old stronghold town, with a nice 16th century atmosphere. There used to be a second NS route starting in Naarden, going to the famous Muiderslot, a truly mediaeval castle in excellent condition in the town of Maiden. I think you still can do that walk as a long distance walk.

Noord-Hollands Duinresrvaat

Starts in Castricum and ends in Alkmaar

Length 15 km

Route description

Route map

Notes: For the Duinreservaart you need to buy an entrance ticket at the ticket vending machine. It costs Euro 1,50 for each person. You can only pay with coins, no change, but just insert enough money for all persons together. It will print just one ticket for everybody.

The route ends in Egmond aan Zee, which is a bathing town. From Egmond aan Zee you need a bus to Alkmaar (bus 165) or back to Castricum (bus 164). Alkmaar is a nice town, famous for its cheese and former cheese market. Egmond is a pleasant bathing town, with a lovely former bus station from the fifties. In Castricum you find the tourist office in the station building.

The route goes through the dunes area, part of it covered with woods, part mainly sand and short dunes grasses. There is a lot of variety in the landscape along the route.

Geniedijk

Starts in Hoofddorp, ends in Haarlem

Lengt 19 km

Route description

Route map

An interesting route, just under the smoke of Schiphol international airport. Two very interetsing things: The Cruquius museum (website in Dutch only, English wiki), which is one of the last steam driven water mills, used to to keep the feet of the Dutch dry. Worth a vist. The other attraction are the fortifications of the "Stelling van Amsterdam" (site in English language), which is on the Unesco heritage list.