Hollands Kroon between waterways and Wieringen’s history

In Hollands Kroon, waterways, island history and traces of land reclamation tell different sides of the area’s story. You can experience the landscape from the water, follow historic routes on Wieringen or learn in museums how people lived with the water and changed their surroundings.

Experience the water and take in the views

The Sloepennetwerk takes boaters along peaceful waterways, past picturesque villages and unique natural landscapes. At Lutjestrand on the Amstelmeer, kitesurfing and windsurfing are available in separate areas; there is also a sandy beach and a swimming pool. Boating and stand-up paddleboarding are also possible there. Check local conditions for recreational activities before your visit.

The Waddenbelevingspunt offers another way to experience the landscape. From the car park at Vissershaven, a footpath about 500 metres long leads there over a narrow dike. The lower platform is accessible to wheelchairs and mobility scooters; the upper one can only be reached by a spiral staircase. Two telescopes are provided. The site is in one of the darkest places in the Netherlands and is particularly well suited to stargazing. Check accessibility details and the condition of the path before your visit.

Wieringen: island history and landscapes along the trails

Wieringen was once an island in the Zuiderzee. When the Afsluitdijk was completed in 1924, it was connected to the mainland. You can explore this change while out and about: the Westerland van Wieringen circular walk crosses the western tip of former Wieringen, passing old villages, changes in elevation, sunken lanes and extensive pastures. The 15.8-kilometre Wieringen walking route uses the Storytrails app, which provides videos, pictures and stories along the way.

The Wieringen Eilandmuseum “Jan Lont” focuses on the daily life and work of the island’s inhabitants before the Afsluitdijk was built. Topics include livestock farming, eelgrass fishing, hunting and fishing. Wieringen’s maritime history dates back to prehistoric times. Those who enjoy learning more about the region outdoors will find a historical perspective here that differs from exploring the landscape on the walking trails.

Water management and history in Kolhorn

Museum De Turfschuur in Kolhorn explores the region’s and the local community’s struggle against the water and how the landscape has changed. A four-part model and a short video presentation explain 1,000 years of water management and landscape development. You can also explore Kolhorn outside the museum: three free, guided village walks are available year-round as audio tours, including when the museum is closed. Check the current availability of this offering before your visit.

Kolhorn developed into a transshipment point: goods arriving by sea were transferred there for onward transport to Schagen. This offers a different perspective on the village’s history from the exhibition at De Turfschuur: here, the focus is on Kolhorn’s former role in the movement of goods, while the museum explores how people managed the water and how the landscape developed.

Routes with different themes

The approximately 30-kilometre “Langs zilt en zoet” cycling route passes through nature and by historic country houses, churches, farms and locks. The MUZ Route is listed as 37.5 kilometres long and follows monuments of the Zuiderzee Works; it tells Wieringen’s story as it changed from an island area to part of the mainland. “Het verhaal van Hollands Kroon West” is a 66.59-kilometre route along old dikes, former harbour towns and agricultural heritage. For a shorter walk in Kolhorn, try the 7.15-kilometre Kromme Grouwroute: it starts and ends there, follows an old peat river and a pre-war canal, and partly runs along grassy dikes. Check current route conditions before setting out.

Blossom season, woodland and local produce

Poldertuin Anna Paulowna showcases spring flowers grown by local bulb growers and is maintained each year by volunteers. Its flowering season runs from mid-March to the end of April; when the flowers are actually at their best also depends on the weather. Another seasonal option is the Tulpenexcursie in Slootdorp: the tour goes through greenhouses, cold-storage rooms and processing areas, where a modern X-ray planting robot is among the machines used. The nursery has more than one million tulips at different stages of growth. Check in advance whether the tour is offered when you plan to visit.

The woodlands also have their own character. Black alders and downy birches grow in Robbenoordbos, which is also home to numerous fungi. In Dijkgatbos are the Wielen, two large pools formed when the dike was breached on 17 April 1945; they are more than 20 metres deep. Those interested in local produce can visit the farm shop at Zorgboerderij Dijkgatshoeve, which sells, among other things, organic products from its own land. Bakkerij Dunselman continues to bake Wieringer Jodenkoeken traditionally and unchanged; availability may vary.

For seasonal offerings and tours, it is worth checking the current visitor conditions.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Westerland, Wieringerwaard, Kreileroord, Winkel, Barsingerhorn, Hippolytushoef, Kolhorn, Enkhuizen.

Back to the main travel overview: North Holland.