Scharwoude between nature trails and architectural history

In Scharwoude, you can make nature and architectural history different focal points of your stay. De Hulk and the trails through the landscape sit alongside the former station building, the Hervormde Kerk, and memories of the area’s former use on the Markermeer. Trip planning can therefore range from walks and nature to architecture and church history.

De Hulk and the trails through the landscape

You can go for a walk in the De Hulk recreation area. The area covers 58 hectares and is divided into an inland section and a section outside the dike. One part focuses on nature-oriented design, where a wide variety of plants and animals can be seen. Visitors interested in nature will find a tangible connection to the landscape here. The walk and the different areas give De Hulk its own place in your trip planning.

The orange route is 1.6 kilometres long and runs through the Suyderbraeck nature area. Its present-day landscape was shaped by land reclamation work at the beginning of the second millennium. The blue route passes through De Hulk and along the centuries-old Westfriese Omringdijk. The routes therefore highlight different landscape features: the orange route takes you through Suyderbraeck, while the blue route runs through De Hulk and along the historic dike.

The Hoornse Hop route is marked with blue posts and signs. The markers begin at the car park by De Hulk. The Kabouterpad was officially opened on 2 March 2022. At the time, the 2.2-kilometre route passed through De Hulk and a section of Scharwoude and was suitable for children aged around three and up. The date and the suitability information as it stood at the time give this route description a clear temporal context.

Station building, garden, and church history

The station building at Stationsweg 4 in Scharwoude was built in the Neo-Renaissance style and has a floor plan in the shape of a Latin cross. A single-storey section runs parallel to the railway line, while the two-storey cross wing is positioned at right angles to it. In West Friesland, Station Scharwoude is the only surviving station building of this type to have retained its original form. Its design and the different heights of its sections give the architecture a distinctive profile.

The Landgoed Station Scharwoude estate includes a stinzen garden and a woodland pond. Over time, the garden was expanded to around three hectares. This approximate size and the expansion describe the garden’s development, while the woodland pond is another feature of the estate.

The Hervormde Kerk at Scharwoude 8 also has a specific historical detail: it contains a fragment of an oak baptismal rail from the 17th century. It is accompanied by a copper baptismal arch bearing the coat of arms of the former municipality of Scharwoude. The Reformed, later Dutch Reformed, congregation was an independent church community and had its own minister from 1669. The craftsmanship and the congregation’s history reveal two different sides of the church’s heritage.

The area’s former uses also include the old bathhouse near Scharwoude, behind the Markermeer dike. People enjoyed the view there, breathed in the fresh air, and socialised. The bathhouse was therefore associated not only with views of the landscape but also with a social and relaxing stay. Its history adds another perspective on life by the Markermeer to the story of the routes and architecture.

Discover more destinations: Avenhorn, Oudendijk, Spierdijk, Obdam, Ursem, Hensbroek, Berkhout, Zuidermeer.

For the broader trip overview: Koggenland.