Volkmar

Dunes – Bloemendaal/Zandvoort Circuit

The Bloemendaal dunes are part of the Zuid-Kennemerland Dunes and the dog section is a large area of rugged sand-scapes and beach grasses, with large water areas – depending on how much it has rained lately. If it is windy on the beach then the dunes offer more shelter and it is lovely to scale one of the peaks and look over the whole park.

Some sections of this area is covered with gorse or sanddoorn bushes which can give you a decent scratch if you are not careful, so either stick to the wider paths or wear long trousers!

Near the watering hole there are some open areas to have a good run around, and in some spots amongst the hills and dales there are open areas that look a little like abandoned agricultural spots. In fact I have seen some people doing some kind of allotment farming there. These are private areas so just walk around them.

At some point you will likely meet the cycle path that links Haarlem with Zandvoort and in summer this can be busy, but you can pretty much keep away from it, it just runs along one side of the dog area. There are a couple of horse paths in this area as well, I have never seen horses walking there but have seen their leftovers. You can also expect the occasional 10-dog-pack walker now and then but even if you do, it’s the dunes, just walk over a hill if you want to avoid them.

Depending on the time of year you can expect rabbits and an array of little critters that live in holes in the sand. I have seen foxes there too. These are mostly confined to the areas with dense shrubbery. Most of the area is fenced but in some areas that fencing is a bit leaky. I have personally never seen deer in this part of the dunes but I would not guarantee their absence.

This area borders the F1 circuit, in fact turn right after the entrance and keep close to the edge of the dunes and you can look down onto the racing track. When there are practices or test drives, it can be really noisy here. And of course if there is a real F1 event then you can forget any attempt to drive even close to this location, in fact avoid anything within a 15km radius of the circuit during race weekends and go somewhere quieter instead. We have a few alternatives in these pages for you 🙂

The easiest spot to park is on the Boulevard Barnaart, on the beach front and right next to Bernie’s Beach club – there is a sign for it in the parking area. The entrance to the dunes is directly opposite this spot. You can also take the 81 bus here, bus stop Zandvoort Riche.

Pros:

Huge area
Clean water
Amazing views
Low amount of people, even in summer or weekend

Cons:

The F1 circuit
No bins for used poop bags until back at the parking bays
In hot summers the water can dry out and you are limited to just one pool

Location:

Boulevard Barnaart 65, Zandvoort, Netherlands

Wethouder van Gelukpark (“Bokkedoorns”)

Everyone calls this walk the Bokkedoorns but that is actually the name of the restaurant on the edge of the park. This spot has the cleanest, freshest water and is perfect for hot summer days. The walk goes around the edge of two lakes that partially join in the middle. The path surrounding the water deviates a little in some areas, going off into a small forest area, and into a small dune section and can extend your walk and make it a little more interesting. It is a short walk and I usually go round twice, deviating once through the trees and the second time through the mini-dune section. It is fenced/walled off with an electric fence so you cannot get further into the dunes from here.

This water here is so fresh that you will often find people bathing in it! It is usually pretty quiet, you may meet 2 or 3 other dogs on your walk, maybe a couple more if it the weather is very warm. The forest spot is shaded and cool, with wide paths and is pretty quiet – most people stick to the main lakeside path so the forest paths are good if you want to avoid people.

Quite often you will find walkers from people who have just had dinner at the restaurant – they will be nicely dressed and not impressed if your wet dog gets anywhere near them. Please be courteous; don’t provide any ammunition to give dog owners a bad reputation!

Pros:

Quiet with only a few other dog walkers
Very clean water
Perfect for a quick walk

Cons:

You do need to be on your guard all the time and rein in your pup if he looks like he will behave inappropriately to after-dinner walkers
Leash-only walks since March 2020

Location:

Zeeweg

Schoteroog, Waarderpolder (Spaarnwoude Park)

Another one of those places that you can make your walk as long or as short as you like. Schoteroog used to be a landfill that got cleaned up and turned into a park and is popular with sunbathers and picnickers. Every now and then there are children events near the water but you can walk the upper path and avoid them if you want to. Right alongside the Mooie Nel lake which links up with the Spaarne, it is also a bit of a boating paradise.

The park has a range of paths that run through the open, rolling fields, and one bike path along the side of the lake. It also has a footpath connection with Verplas which also forms part of the Windmill Route. As you reach the end of the park furthest away from the Marina, you can turn left and simply follow the path past the horse stables, cross the road at the windmill and carry on along the canal to the Verplas carpark (only open to dogs October-April). I usually stop at the windmill and then turn back, which gives me a good hour walk in total. Schoteroog park can get a little busy with sunbathers – particularly at the weekend but the path between Schoteroog and Verplas is hardly ever frequented and is a real scent bonanza for pups!

The park is not fenced but there is only one side really that is not contained by water or some kind of physical barrier, and if you keep to the open fields it’s fairly safe if you have a young pup still learning to keep close.

Parking spots are at the side of the road near one of the stairways that bring you to the upper part of the park, or a large car park by the marina close to the (dog friendly) Proef restaurant.

Pros:

Wide open fields to run and keep watch on your pup
Some quiet spots where you can train
Not overly busy with dog walkers and easy to avoid others if you want to

Cons:

Horse paths can leave unexpected treats
Can get some ripe air near the water purification centre, or near the horse stables but it’s short lived
Can get pretty windy up there!

Location:

Schoteroog

Groene Weelde, Vijvhuizen

About a 20 minute drive away from Haarlem, the Groene Weelde park is probably one of my favourites. It is a large park, completely off leash, with a maze of pathways or off-beat paths, waterways and beaches, open spaces and curiosities to interest the two-legged walkers.

You can make this walk as long or short as you like. I have seen some people simply walk around the lake at the beginning, which takes about 20 minutes if you walk slowly. I think the longest I have managed to walk through the park is for 2 hours.

There is one small pathway (probably about 500m long) that runs alongside the golf course and near a waterway where birds settle and breed, and you are requested to put your dog on leash for this part, but that is the only spot that asks for a leash.

There are a couple of cycle paths that go through the park, one wide one where you can also expect scooters and the occasional car. Mostly the drivers are sensible but you will get the occasional idiot.

There are two parking areas, one is next to the Pannenkoeken Paviljoen, and the other is at the complete opposite end of the park near the golf course. Or you can take the bus 340 from Haarlem Station which stops pretty much on the corner by the Pannenkoeken Paviljoen. There is a big, beige, stone waterdrop artwork on the side of the road just in front of the park, you can’t miss it!

Look out for crayfish in the waterways and sometimes on the nearby banks…

Pros:

Huge off leash area
Range of area types
Enough space to avoid pack walkers

Cons:

Some large pack with varying degrees of control over their pack
Horse paths throughout the park leaving horse-potatoes
Prone to vivid green algae in summer

Location:

Groene Weelde

Groenendaal, Heemstede

A favourite place for many walkers, dog walkers and families. This is a fairly busy park offering wide pathways, lots of water areas, a beach and lots of shade from either sun or rain. You can wander aimlessly here, doubling back or going off on parallel paths, or you can follow one of the marked routes. However because it is so popular, this place is only really fun if your dog is well socialised and has a reasonable recall in the case of unwanted or inappropriate play, especially with children around.

You can park directly opposite the Pannekoekenhuis Konijnenberg, just drive up through the gates of the park driveway to get to the parking spot. There is a gated entrance to this park, but technically it is not completely fenced off. To the right of the entrance is a cycle path and further right of that cycle path is a leash-only area. There is no fence containing your pup at this point but elsewhere it is either fenced or has a natural water barrier.

There is a field opposite the beach area where cows are kept. Sometimes (although rarely) you may see some wandering around between the walking areas. If you see fresh cow poop on the floor, you know you need to keep an eye out for them.

There are two beaches here, the most popular one is in the middle of the park and is a popular spot for people to sit and chat while their dogs play. Join in or avoid it, there is a pathway just at the back of the beach that takes you out of their way if you need a quick exit. There is a smaller and lesser used beach closer to the road if you walk towards the scouting hut.

Somewhere loosely in the middle of the park is a large circular sand pit, which is a great place to let your dog dig without wrecking the landscape. I have never seen kids playing in this.

Do walk right around the park, up the lesser trodden slopes that barely look like footpaths, over all the wooden bridges for some lovely views, through the muddy paths that go round the duckweed filled ponds and try to cover every possible pathway and this will take you out of the busy areas or to high up spots where you can look over the park. If you do that, you will manage a good hour walking, otherwise it’s about a 40 minute circular round.

Mostly all the water here is clean, just a little muddy here and there. It seems to be flowing and connected so it doesn’t seem to be affected much by algae in summer. That bright green duckweed in the ponds here is perfectly edible, even by humans. Tastes a bit like cress…

Pros:

Varied area with lots to sniff
Lots of clean water
Shade and cover from the elements

Cons:

Can be very busy, especially at weekends
There be cows…

Location:

Pannekoekenhuis De Konijnenberg

Brouwerskolkpark, Overveen

A wonderful little spot on the border of Haarlem and Overveen, I don’t know why you don’t see more people here. The park spans the Brouwerskolkweg and offers hills, trees, pathways, sandy spots and a perfectly swimmable lake. There is one cycle path through the area which you can easily avoid if you want to. You can make your walk more interesting by looping through the trees and shrubbery to the side of the paths.

There is a lookout area which is often used as a party spot, keep an eye out for broken glass there.

The Brouwerskolkje restaurant is a lovely spot for lunch and does allow dogs on the terrace, however it’s not your usual walkers cafe, it is actually quite a prestigious restaurant!

You can park at the Brouwerskolkje restaurant, or a little further up the road near the Terrerodeweg just before the railway line.

Pros:

Quiet, mostly no cyclists, very few walkers
Lots of walking options, can make it very short or long and varied
Clean water

Cons:

Trying to think of one…

Location:

Brouwerskolkpark

Haarlemmerhout, Haarlem

In the heart of the city this oasis is separated into a park for people and children, and a more natural dog walking area. There are entrances to the park from several sides which immediately take you into a safe, off-leash area. Plenty of paths crossing each other give you the chance of walking for about 45 minutes without having to use the same path twice! If you see a petting zoo, cut grass and a tea house, you are on the wrong side of the road.

The park is shared with cyclists and lunchtime workers. You can keep off the main cycle path fairly easily, just crossing it once or twice. If you have a very opportunistic dog (as we do!) then you may need to look out for people sitting on benches and eating sandwiches. There are some smaller tracks, some larger ones and a play area.

Note, there are absolutely no water-holes here, if it is hot then be sure to bring a bottle of water for your pup.

Pros:

In the middle of Haarlem, easy to get to by bus, bike or foot
Usually lots of other dogs to play with

Cons:

Busy cycle path through the middle of the park
Lunchtime temptations on benches at mouth level!
No water

Location:

The off leash area is between Wagenweg and Fonteinlaan only, the other side of the Fonteinlaan is a leash-only area.

Caprera, Bloemendaal

Landgoed Caprera is a privately owned foundation and the dog park is an area with lot of variety and some undulating landscape just for a change. Based on 2 levels, the upper level is mostly concrete/ prepared pathways weaving around areas dense with trees and shrubs. The lower area, connected by two wooden/earthy stairways, is a bit more open with a large open area to play in, water areas and a small beach, and lots to sniff. One part of the lower, marshy section is a quiet area for bird breeding so dogs need to be leashed if you walk past this (look out for the sign), but you can easily walk around this without needing to leash your pup. It’s easy to walk a good hour here, longer if you stop to play.

Update April 2021: Apart from the path from the steps down, through the flat green area and to the water, the whole lower level is now a leash only area for the breeding season, not just the marshy areas.

A couple of the pathways are a little narrow with little option to avoid oncoming people or pups, particularly a pathway alongside the cemetery on the lower level. But you can stick to the wider paths if you have a dog who prefers it that way.

This is a lovely shaded area so in high summer it is cool, and it is one of my go-to places if it is raining – the canopy gives you a little shelter from most downpours.

There is an entrance fee of EUR1 per person, and EUR1 per dog. An annual card (about EUR55 per year) gives you free access for 2 people and 1 dog for the whole year and also allows you to park in the small car park behind the entrance kiosk.

The park is well maintained, with poop sacks and water at the entrance, and plenty of poop bins along the way making it easy to keep it clean. The whole area is fenced up to the entrance area.

Keep in mind that Caprera also has an open air theatre, there may sometimes be summer programmes that mean the park needs to close, or access can be restricted around the theatre area. Check out their agenda for more information.

Pros

Quiet, no cycle paths
Fenced area
Very clean
Shaded pathways

Cons

Entrance fee
Can get pretty muddy to walk through lower levels after rain

Where is it?

Openluchttheater Caprera

Duinvliet, Haarlem

Duinvliet offers everything you want for a quick dog walk in a compact area: a couple of nice circular forest walks that you can stretch to 15-20 minutes each, a huge grassy field for playing and socialising, and it is surrounded by small, mostly clean canals for a quick drink or a refreshing swim.