Meijendel Dunes to Wassenaarseslag Beach

Dogs Leashed

Features Geological Significance · Historical Significance · Views · Wildlife

Through the thickets and ponds of Meijendel and over the tops of the dunes to the windy north sea this trail explores a wide spectrum of coastal terrain and psychogeographical experiences in a relatively short distance.

Click Here to see a 2-channel interactive video of the walk in real time.

The footing is uneven in this landscape. Despite patches of the ground being compacted in the wooded area it frequently gives way to soft moss lined sand divets; there are also numerous above ground tree roots that can can cause trips. It is advised to walk this route at night.

This time trail begins in the wooded pines of Meijendel, crosses the Hollandse Duinen, and ends at the Strandslag Meyendel opening of Wassenaar beach.

This route is recommended at night: Isolation in darkness makes your body and mind highly alert. You become more attentive to your surroundings and your ear is tuned to a wide range of high and low frequencies which increases your depth perception. This acuity will give you an embodied connection to the topography around you. Before starting to walk take a moment to collect yourself. I recommend wearing a red light, you'll be able to to see your path but it will not eliminate your surroundings like white light does; red light has the longest (or slowest) wave-length of all the colours and the eye adapts to low light so you can see your your surroundings more clearly.

The wooded part of the walk is the most challenging, the ground is uneven and there are many divets and depressions. The trees have shallow roots that emerge above the ground which stabilizes the trees in windy conditions but it makes it easy to trip whilst walking. The density of the branches from the trees covers your head so it traps and circulates the sounds around you so it can be difficult to identify what is near and far.

On exiting the woods, you'll reach the dunes. This area is exposed to the north sea and is generally windy year round; at this time of night, it might bite with cold. Continue walking the Meyendel route on the left; it has a varied elevation through the dunes, so you'll get a sense of the topography leading to the beach. There is a chance you may encounter Highlander Cows on this route. They are docile but be cautious on approach and give them a wide berth.

On taking the last right turn down the widening path the sound of the sea suddenly rushes up, it pulses between the rising sandbanks either side of you as you descend towards the open beach. The elision of body and terrain creates a sensorial map, you are environed by it, and it by you. The path sinks into deep cold sand as the sea comes into view, the sound permeates every frequency from tin to rumble, it is all-encompassing.

Passing Strandpaal ZH-96 you walk onto the beach and stand in front of the North Sea, side by side with your walking partner.

You can go home whenever you like.

The dunes are active, moving as the wind moves the sand. There are salt tolerant and drought resistant plants with deep roots that can trap more sand helping the dunes grow. Alongside the pines and dune grass there is blue sea thistle, sea buckthorn and invasive yellow holly which the Scottish Highland cattle were introduced to graze on. At least 75% of all Dutch plant species grow by the coast. Drinking water is also stored and filtered in the dunes, river water is pumped in to provide clean water for the cities. Sadly, the biodiversity of the open dune landscape in the Netherlands is gradually declining due to lack of use, increased deposition of atmospheric nitrogen and drinking water filtration that leads to desiccation of dune wetlands.

This landscape was created as a result of rising sea levels over 5000 years ago and continues to be a coastal defence for the low-lying land. For the inhabitants of The Netherlands the dunes are more than recreational, they protect the depressed land from flooding and therefore symbolically represent the desire for continued habitation of the northwestern lowlands of the European continent.