Dunes of Texel National Park

About this place

The Dunes of Texel National Park covers the west coast of Texel, the largest of the Dutch Wadden Islands, about 13 km north of Den Helder and 79 km north of Amsterdam in a straight line. A ferry from Den Helder reaches the island in about twenty minutes. The park gained national park status in 2002 and covers about 43 square kilometres, taking in all the dunes on the west side of the island and the broad coastal plains at its northern and southern tips, including De Slufter, a salt marsh flooded by the sea at high tide. The visitor centre is at the Ecomare natural history museum, which also cares for seals. A red lighthouse stands at the island's northern tip at De Cocksdorp. Dunes covered in marram grass run between a long sandy beach, pine woods and small lakes, and old sheep barns with sloping roofs, typical of the island, stand on the pastures. In the north the red lighthouse rises above the dunes, with the Wadden Sea on the other side. Colour-coded walking trails and many cycle routes cross the park, and some close during the bird breeding season. Bikes can be hired in the villages, and it is worth staying a night to see the island at a quieter pace.