±30 min drive
North Sea coast · roughly 25 km
Callantsoog makes an excellent half-day or full-day outing: an easy-going coastal village and broad beach on one side, protected dune country on the other.
Beach, dunes & walking
Personal route tips at the farm
North Sea beach
Space for a long walk, sunset or simply letting the wind clear your head.
Zwanenwater
Dune lakes, birdlife, flowers and peaceful marked walking routes.
A rewarding contrast
Enjoy the coastal village and protected nature in a single trip.
See what awaits
A first look at the surroundings.
From water and historic façades to dunes and dykes: this is the landscape waiting beyond Marnic Hoeve.
Zwanenwater protects two large natural dune lakes just behind the North Sea coast.
Photo: MatsAlkmaar · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped
Reeds, wetlands and birdwatching screens make every walk feel different.
Photo: Dr.stax · Public domain · croppedWhy go
From sea air to silent dune lakes.
The village beach entrance gets you onto the sand quickly, while the central square offers cafés and restaurants for before or after your walk.
Just behind the coast, Zwanenwater protects around 600 hectares of dunes and two natural dune lakes. Stay on designated routes and check current visitor rules before setting out; dogs are not permitted.
Check current visitor informationSource and current information: Natuurmonumenten
An easy-going plan
Nature walk, village and North Sea beach.
Visit Zwanenwater first and the beach afterwards. You will walk with fresh legs and can make the rest of the day as unhurried as you like.
- 01
Walk in Zwanenwater
Choose a marked route beside dune lakes, reeds and birdwatching screens. Dogs are not permitted.
- 02
Lunch in Callantsoog
Head into the village for coffee or lunch and check the weather at the coast.
- 03
Breathe in the beach
Take a gentle beach walk or stay longer for sea air and a beach pavilion.
Choose your moment
Every season brings its own colour.
Late May–July
Orchids flower; keep to the route to protect this sensitive habitat.
August
Purple heather gives the dunes extra colour and makes the walk especially photogenic.
Autumn and winter
Choose a clear day for birds, expansive skies and a brisk beach walk.
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Den Oever. Where waters meet.
See the fishing harbour, Wadden Sea and the beginning of the Afsluitdijk.
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Cycling. Let the polder set the pace.
Leave from your pitch for dykes, canals, polder lanes and enormous skies.
Read morePhoto: Tineke Blij · CC BY 3.0 · cropped