Walk over steep forest slopes and former sand excavation
In the past, from 1850 to 1948, sand was excavated from the Middenduin for embankments near buildings in Haarlem and Amsterdam. The sand was transported with barges via the Zanderijvaart. The excavations stopped around 1948 and the site was used for bulb cultivation. From 1992, Staatsbosbeheer allowed the dunes to become atrophied again. Due to the low location and the inflow of seepage water, rare plant species are returning, such as the water violet, round-leaved wintergreen, parnassia and the marsh helleborine. Scottish Highlanders and Konik horses graze in the area.
Difficulty: light walk
Length: 3.5 kilometers
Marking: Red Arrows
Starting points: Entrance Middenduin/Duinlustweg in Overveen and at the De Kennemerduinen visitor center (opposite Zeeweg)
Public transport: Bus line 81 from Zandvoort or Station Haarlem. Get off at the Kennemerduinen stop
Catering: at the visitor center
Admission: Free
Parking: Free
Route description: At the Middenduin/Duinlustweg entrance, follow the red arrows along the Zanderijvaart. We now turn right over the bridge and follow the Zanderijvaart. We will soon arrive at an open section: De Zanderij. We follow the red arrows and go through a wooded area. At the end of this path we can go to a viewpoint to, with a bit of luck, watch the wisents at a beautiful lake: The lake of Burdet. Then we follow the red arrows, go under the railway and slowly walk up through a beautiful hilly forest area. When we are back down we pass an ice cellar, where ice used to be stored for the refrigerators of Landgoed Duinlust. Today, rare bats sleep and hibernate there. Down we turn right to the parking lot.
From the entrance to the Kennermerduinen visitor center we cross the busy sea road and arrive at the open part: De Zanderij. Here we turn left and follow the directions above via the red arrows.
Middenduin is a varied walking area. There are three different landscapes: forest, semi-open dune and a wet dune valley. The wet dune valley was created because sheep ate the dunes bare. A sand drift was the result.
Sand used to be extracted in the former sand mill. This was transported to Haarlem and Amsterdam via the Zanderijvaart. After 1948 the plain is used for bulb cultivation. It stopped in 1992. The wet dune valley has now become impoverished and the influx of clean seepage water has led to the growth of special plants such as the water violet and Parnassia.
The Kemperberg is located in a forest area. Coniferous and fir trees grow here. At the foot of the Kemperberg is an ice cellar where ice was stored for the adjacent Duinlust estate. It is now a shelter for bats.