The most beautiful boardwalks in the Netherlands
Walking on a boardwalk always adds a little extra to the experience, with the creaking wood under your feet. In our own country you will find lots of these boardwalks. Below you will find the most beautiful ones in a row. Which path will you walk first after reading this blog?
Netherlands
The most beautiful boardwalks in the Netherlands
Walking on a boardwalk always adds a little extra to the experience, with the creaking wood under your feet. In our own country you will find lots of these boardwalks. Below you will find the most beautiful ones in a row.
Amsterdam Water Supply Dunes, North Holland
The Amsterdam Water Supply Dunes (Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen) is the oldest water catchment area in the Netherlands and a protected natural monument. What is nice about this area is that you are allowed to walk everywhere, even off the beaten paths. You will also find the largest population of fallow deer in the Netherlands here. Fox families live in the dunes too. They mainly hide out at the crossing of the Zandweg and the Duizendmeterweg. At the Vogelenzang entrance there is a fairytale boardwalk that leads you to the Oranjekom visitor centre. Various walking routes start at this visitor centre, such as the Tientje van Waternet (10 km).
Moerputten, North Brabant
Moerputten is a nature reserve in Den Bosch. It is part of Natura 2000. The 600-metre-long Moerputten bridge runs right through this nature reserve. In 1890 it was used as a railway line to transport raw materials for the shoe industry. It is also known as the Halve Zolenlijn. Today the bridge is open to cyclists and walkers. Three walking routes have been laid out in this area. The 5 km bridge route takes you across the bridge and along a beautiful boardwalk.
Marker Wadden, North Holland
The Marker Wadden is an archipelago and nature reserve under development. It consists of five islands, one of which is accessible to people (only by boat), while the other four are left for nature to take its course, both above and below water. A ferry runs regularly to the Marker Wadden from the Bataviahaven in Lelystad. On the harbour island you will find a wide harbour, a beach, a lookout tower, bird hides and a visitor centre. It has 12 kilometres of footpaths, some of which take you over boardwalks above marshy areas with views of all the flora and fauna developing here.
Landgoed Tongeren, Gelderland
The Tongeren estate is in Epe in Gelderland, where the Veluwe and the Wisselse Veen nature reserve meet. This means you will walk through varied nature here. Where you come across heathland and forests in the Veluwe, the Wisselse Veen has boggy ground. A boardwalk has been built across this boggy ground for you to walk on. Keep your eyes open, because you may come across wildlife along the way. There are three marked walking routes you can follow, the longest of which takes 1.5 hours. If you park at Molenweg 80, you have direct access to the boardwalk.
Het Wallenbos, Friesland
This forest lies south of Beetsterzwaag in Friesland. It shows a completely different side of Friesland from the lakes, mudflats and little towns Friesland is known for. Around this beautiful forest you will come across various country estates that are a feast for the eyes. In the forest you will find the Blokhut Sparjebird. This incredibly atmospheric café, with a lovely wood stove, beautiful rugs and Chesterfield-style sofas, has a fun play forest for children. To make the forest more attractive to walkers, a boardwalk has been built in the middle of the forest. A 5 km walking route marked with white posts takes you along this boardwalk.
Read more about Beetsterzwaag and the surrounding area on whereshegoes.nl (in Dutch)
Het Wolvenspoor, Drenthe
The Hart van Drenthe is a large nature area with forests, fens, drift sand and streams. This is also where you will find the Wolvenspoor (wolf trail). A 5 km route that takes you past heathland, dark forests and little bridges. The route got its name because wolves have been roaming here for a few months. The route goes right through nature and partly over wooden boardwalks. The idea for this nature area is that nature takes it over. Staatsbosbeheer (the Dutch Forestry Commission) has removed footpaths here and pumped ditches dry, resulting in an increase in the number of animal species living there. The walking route starts at the crossing of De Olle Hullenweg and the Zwarte in Schoonloo.
Landgoed Twickel, Overijssel
In Twente you will find the Twickel estate, where you are treated to a beautiful castle, castle gardens, old farmhouses and lovely footpaths. The Umfassungsweg is an 11 km walking route around the Twickel estate. Along the way you pass the wet heathland of Koematenveld, where a wooden boardwalk has been built. Combined with the low conifers, this nature area feels a little ‘foreign’. The route starts at the Twickel visitor centre. We recommend booking a tour of the castle and castle gardens in advance.
Mastbos, North Brabant
You will find this centuries-old forest in Breda. There are trees here that are 500 years old. You walk along narrow paths that take you to open heath and past deciduous trees that lead into a dark conifer forest. Along the way you may come across pine martens, roe deer, foxes, hedgehogs and squirrels. You can follow a 7-kilometre walk here, marked with a roe deer on a yellow background. After about 3 kilometres you come to the boardwalk.
’t Kiekkaaste, Groningen
This bird hide is now one of the hotspots of the Netherlands. Instagram is full of it. You can find this special place at the very tip of Groningen, close to the German border. The bird hide, where you are treated to a view over the mudflats of the Dollard, can be reached via a long boardwalk. If you are lucky, you will spot seals in the distance! You will also come across all kinds of birds here. In the Dollard nature area there are various walking routes that show you even more of the area.
’t Roegwold, Groningen
This nature area, 30 minutes from the city of Groningen, is in full development. The area is characterised by a mix of open water, grasslands, marshes, rough nature, peace and wide views. A large part of the area is grazed by Hereford cows, Groningen Whiteheaded cattle and sheep. Right through ’t Roegwold you will find a 750 m boardwalk over the water, also known as the knuppelpad (log path). There is a short 2 km circular walk that goes along this path.
De Groote Peel, Limburg
In Limburg you will find the De Groote Peel nature reserve, where you can walk through many different types of landscape: marshes, open heath, forests, ponds and more. At the outdoor centre there are 3 walking routes marked with coloured posts. The red posts (3 km) take you past the log bridges and boardwalks across the marsh. You can easily combine this route with the yellow route (2.5 km), which takes you past a viewing platform, a bird hide, a lookout tower, an apiary and a herb garden. So plenty to see!
Bird observatory Tij, South Holland
One of the most special bird observatories opened last year at the Scheelhoek nature reserve. This giant egg gives you a 360-degree view over a colony of Sandwich terns, the wide Haringvliet and the Haringvliet sluices. You will spot other birds here too. To get there, you walk along a path by the dyke and reed beds with vistas and boardwalks for 20 minutes to the observatory, and along the way you may come across traces of roe deer and beavers.
Het Verdronkenbos, Utrecht
What used to be a forest has now been turned into a water storage area, intended to temporarily store excess rainwater. The trees that stood here turned out not to be able to cope with all that rainwater. They drowned, hence the name (the Drowned Forest), but they are still standing upright in the water. In the Verdronken Bos you can walk on a 300-metre-long wooden boardwalk right across the water! Afterwards you can walk the klompenpad here, a beautiful grass footpath along the water.
De Alde Feanen National Park, Friesland
This piece of nature is one of the largest wetlands in Europe. A mix of peat, marsh, reed beds, lakes and ditches. In the middle of the wetland lies the village of Earnewâld. The visitor centre is in the village. From here you can do various activities, such as cycling, boating and walking routes. On a bike ride or walk you may come across a boardwalk or a small ferry along the way.
Which path will you walk first? For current walking routes, check the website of Staatsbosbeheer.
For more inspiration and tips, follow Dutchtravelfreak on Instagram.
Practical tips for boardwalks in the Netherlands
Preparation
On the spot
Frequently asked questions about boardwalks in the Netherlands
Where can you find the most beautiful boardwalks in the Netherlands? +
All over the country, from the Amsterdam Water Supply Dunes and the Marker Wadden in North Holland to De Groote Peel in Limburg, the Wallenbos and De Alde Feanen in Friesland and 't Kiekkaaste and 't Roegwold in Groningen.
Can you walk anywhere in the Amsterdam Water Supply Dunes? +
Yes, here you are also allowed to walk off the paths. At the Vogelenzang entrance a fairytale boardwalk leads to the Oranjekom visitor centre, where various walking routes start.
How do you get to the Marker Wadden? +
Only by boat. The ferry sails regularly from the Bataviahaven in Lelystad. On the harbour island there are 12 kilometres of footpaths, partly over boardwalks.
Where can you spot seals from a boardwalk? +
At the 't Kiekkaaste bird hide in Groningen, which you reach via a long boardwalk. With luck you will see seals in the distance on the mudflats of the Dollard.
How long is the boardwalk in 't Roegwold? +
The log path over the water is 750 metres long. You can walk a short 2-kilometre loop there.
Which route should you walk in De Groote Peel? +
From the outdoor centre, follow the red posts (3 km) past the log bridges and boardwalks across the marsh. You can easily combine it with the yellow route (2.5 km) past a viewing platform, bird hide and lookout tower.
Where does the Wolvenspoor start? +
The 5-kilometre route starts at the crossing of De Olle Hullenweg and the Zwarte in Schoonloo, in the Hart van Drenthe.
How long is the boardwalk in Het Verdronkenbos? +
Here you walk on a 300-metre-long wooden boardwalk right across the water, between the trees that are still standing upright in the water.