Long stretches of protected dunes lie north and south of Noordwijk, sprawling along the coastline next to the sea. I’ve only been to the dunes north of town, but they were very quiet and nice to visit. Today hit 20 degrees C (68-70 degrees F), making it the perfect weather to be outside. We challenged ourselves to walk to the nearest town Katwijk and back, through the south stretch of dunes (Hollands Duin). The overall distance we walked to Katwijk and back was about 10 km/6.2 miles. There are two parallel paths leading through the dunes, one for bicycles and another for pedestrians. It passes not only into the dunes, but into the boulevard/coastal part of the town of Katwijk. G, his sister, and I went the entire way and part of the boulevard. We even allowed ourselves some ice cream from a vendor stall. It was very surprising how well our muscles handled the walking. However, our feet are still somewhat sore. I am hoping to make this route more routine!
The Hollands Duin walking path
A monument along the route to the dunes. The inscription says, “Kalla’s tower here was born.” It refers to a lighthouse instituted by the emperor Caligula.
View of the hazy sea from the dunes
More information about the Roman ruin once located in the area: Brittenburg
A video from the area (by another person)