8 Nature areas to visit in the Netherlands

Are you planning a trip to the Netherlands? Make sure to read this guide before choosing where to go! The Netherlands is very densely populated and not particularly known for its nature, but there are actually plenty of beautiful areas outside of the cities. You may have heard of ‘the Veluwe’, which is the country’s most popular national park. But to avoid the crowds, head over to one of the 8 nature areas to visit in the Netherlands featured in this post. The landscapes might not be the most dramatic ones in the world, but they are still home to very unique and beautiful ecosystems.

1. Loonse and Drunense Duinen National Park

The Loonse en Drunense Duinen are an ever-changing dune landscape that’s home to unique plant species. Without careful maintenance, these dunes would transform into a forest. To preserve certain plants and insects, the area is actively managed to keep it in its current state. There are only a handful of places in Europe that have ‘drifting sands’ like the Loonse en Drunense Duinen. Most dunes are found on the coast, after all! The sand dunes formed due to deforestation and intensive livestock grazing in the Middle Ages. Now, it’s perfect for walking and cycling. There are a few mountainbike trails of various lengths and levels of difficulty, which I’d highly recommend.

When to visit

All year round, but late summer for blooming purple heath.

Nearest cities with a train station

• Tilburg
• Den Bosch

How to get to the Loonse and Drunense Duinen

• Cycle from Tilburg (30 min) or Den Bosch (30 min)
• Take bus 136 from Tilburg to Loon op Zand (20 min)
• Take bus 136 from Den Bosch to Drunen (50 min)

2. Zuid-Kennemerland National Park

Located within walking distance from Haarlem, this area comprises a very different dune landscape compared to the Loonse and Drunense Duinen. Instead of heath, you’ll find ‘beach grasses’ at Zuid-Kennemerland. There’s also a viewing point to try and spot the bison who roam the southern part of the area. You can easily combine a day out to walk or cycle through Zuid-Kennemerland with a beach visit. Zandvoort aan Zee is very popular, but anywhere above Bloemendaal, the beach will be much quieter. If you can’t get enough of the dune landscapes, seeing the Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen is worthwhile, too.

When to visit

All year round, but a southern part of the area is closed between March and September as that’s the breeding season for birds.

Nearest cities with a train station

• Haarlem
• Zandvoort aan Zee
• Amsterdam

How to get to Zuid-Kennemerland

• Walk from Haarlem (50 min) or Bloemendaal (40 min)
• Cycle from Haarlem (15 min), Bloemendaal (15 min) or Zandvoort aan Zee (30 min)
• Take a short train from Haarlem (5 min) or Amsterdam (25 min) to Overveen
• Take bus 81 from Haarlem (15 min) or Zandvoort aan Zee (20 min) to Kennermerduinen

3. Groesbeekse Bos

The area surrounding Nijmegen is comparatively green and hilly. Especially the Groesbeekse Bos is full of lovely walking and cycling paths. The main long-distance walking route in the Netherlands, the ‘Pieterpad’ crosses the Groesbeekse Bos. There are some challenging mountainbiking routes, as well. It’s good to know that the ‘forest’ is a conglomeration of smaller forests, so there are some roads that run through it. The benefit of this is that plenty of easy-to-reach cafés and villages surround the area. Nearby you’ll also find the Mookerheide, which is covered in heath, and houses a Jugendstil mansion with flower gardens.

When to visit

Best between March and October. Maintenance on mountainbike routes usually takes place on Saturday mornings.

Nearest cities with a train station

• Nijmegen

How to get to the Groesbeekse Bos

• Walk from Mook Molenhoek (45 min)
• Cycle from Nijmegen (35 min) or Mook Molenhoek (20 min)
• Take bus 5 from Nijmegen to Groesbeek (20 min)

4. Grevelingenmeer

If you’re not comfortable swimming in open sea and dealing with tides, then the Grevelingenmeer makes the perfect beach location. The area has been cut off from the sea by the Delta Works, meaning that the water is ‘brackish’: neither salt nor fresh. If you visit in winter, you might even spot flamingoes at the Battenoord Harbour. Closeby, on the other side of the dam, there is a long tidel beach called the Brouwersdam. This is a popular beach in summer, so be early if you want to secure a good spot.

When to visit

Summer for the weather, winter for flamingoes.

Nearest cities with a train station

• Rotterdam
• Middelburg

How to get to the Grevelingen

• Take the metro from Rotterdam to Spijkenisse and then bus 104 to Ouddorp (2 hours)
• Take bus 133 from Middelburg to Renesse and then bus 104 to Ouddorp (1.5 hours)

5. Amerongsche Bosch

This is one of the best and biggest forests in the Netherlands. The many walking and cycling routes are suprisingly hilly by Dutch standards. Amerongsche Bosch is the name of a larger nature area, of which the the Amerongse Bos (one particular forest) is just one part. A bit confusing! The forests actually contain lots of dead and hollow trees, which is great for biodiversity. Since a few years, wolves have also found their way back into the area. This means you should be careful with dogs and young kids, though the chances you’ll actually see a wolf are rather small.

When to visit

All year round.

Nearest cities with a train station

• Amersfoort
• Utrecht
• Veenendaal
• Ede

How to get to the Amerongsche Bosch

• Cycle from Veenendaal (30 min), Ede-Wageningen (1 hour), Utrecht (1.5 hours) or Amersfoort (1.5 hours)
• Take bus 50 from Veenendaal (20 min) or Utrecht (1 hour) to Amerongse Berg

6. Bergse Heide

A diverse landscape with forest, heath, ponds and hills. Be sure to check out the Meertensgroeve, which used to be a gravel quarry in the 50s and 60s. In terms of ‘wild’life, the area is home to goats. The best route to walk is along the Geulpad. The area is less suitable for bikes. Visiting the Bergse Heide makes for a nice half-day trip from Maastricht and can be combined with exploring Valkenburg. A specific beautiful building nearby is Château St. Gerlach, which currently functions as a hotel.

When to visit

All year round, but late summer for blooming purple heath.

Nearest cities with a train station

• Maastricht
• Valkenburg

How to get to the Bergse Heide

• Walk from Valkenburg (50 min)
• Cycle from Valkenburg (15 min) or Maastricht (30 min)
• Take bus 4 from Valkenburg (20 min) or Maastricht (30 min) to Berg en Terblijt

7. Drentsche Aa National Park

De Drentsche Aa is a connection of forested areas, heath and meadows. Due to protection of the landscape, it still looks largely the same as it would have in the 19th century. Typical for this period are the hedges that surround (agricultural) fields. The villages around the Drentscha Aa show their historical heritage as well: they are so-called ‘esdorpen’. This means that there is a large open space (‘brink’) with a few trees in the centre of the village, where in the Middle Ages livestock would graze before being herded onto communal meadows. Later, these open spaces came to be used for markets. If you’re more interested prehistoric times, there’s still a reason to visit the Drentsche Aa. There are several ‘Hunebedden’ in the area, which are a district type of burial mound only found in a small part of the Netherlands and Germany.

When to visit

Best in summer.

Nearest cities with a train station

• Groningen
• Assen

How to get to the Drentsche Aa

• Walk from Assen (20 min)
• Cycle from Assen (10 min) or Groningen (45 min)

8. Dwingelderveld National Park

What makes the Dwingelderveld stand out are the wetlands (‘vennen’). This means that parts of the area are covered by relatively small, undeep lakes. Other parts are covered by peat. Because of its conserving properties, several prehistoric mummies have been found in the peatland at Dwingelerveld. The area has viewing points to watch birds, but there are also sheep and cows walking around to ensure the area doesn’t transform into forest. Again, this maintenance keeps the heathland in its current shape.

When to visit

Spring and summer to avoid the worst bogginess.

Nearest cities with a train station

• Meppel
• Hoogeveen

How to get to Dwingelderveld

• Cycle from Hoogeveen (20 min) or Beilen (40 min)
• Take bus 32 from Hoogeveen (10 min) or Meppel (30 min) to Pesse

Conclusion

I hope this list of 8 nature areas to visit in the Netherlands has convinced you to venture beyond Amsterdam. If you have the time and are confident on a bike, I highly recommend doing a cycle trip past several of the national parks and forest mentioned in this post. And as always, feel free to contact me or leave a comment if you have questions!