Zuid-Kennemerland National Park

Zuid-Kennemerland runs along the North Sea coast just west of Haarlem, some 38 square kilometres of dunes, dune-fringe woodland, old estates and open beach between Bloemendaal, Velsen and Zandvoort. The park was established in 1995, drawing together older reserves including De Kennemerduinen, itself created in 1950. The dunes were drawn on for Haarlem’s drinking water until 2003; since extraction stopped the groundwater has been recovering. European bison and Highland cattle graze parts of the reserve to hold the landscape open. Paths cross from the wooded inland fringe to the sea, and there is a small swimming spot at the Wed.