Category: In Haarlem or close by

Veerplas, Waarderpolder (October – April)

Veerplas is a relatively small beach area, popular in summer as a play and swimming area for children. For that reason it is only open to dogs between 1 October and 1 April. However, even in winter it is a lovely little piece of the Spaarnwoude Park and apart from the beach area, it’s pretty much empty to dog walkers after 1 October.

Park at the Veerplas parking area just off the A. Hofmanweg. When you enter the park, the beach is ahead of you. It is not a circular route, if you go to the right, you can run around some fun areas and follow the lake side until you eventually run out of land. Turn back the way you came, and then go in the opposite direction, along the beach and open area, and to the left of the beach (Veerplas Noordzijde) you will find a little pathway just behind a notice board that takes you further around. You eventually get to a road (Veerpolder) which is very quiet, if you are unlucky you might see a couple of cars driving past, but keep to the raised mini-dyke to the side of the road and walk as far as you like. If you feel adventurous, you can walk pretty much around this area, but you will end up by the side of a train line and then you will be walking a bike path. It’s also quite a hike, we’ve not done it completely, so if anyone has then let me know how it is!

One lovely thing about this walk is how easy it is to couple it up with Schoteroog. After you are done walking around Veerplas, from the car park take the pathway (Karperpad) alongside the canal towards the windmill (Molen de Meer). Cross over the road and then just follow that one path from the carpark to the Mooie Nel/Schoteroog.

Pros:

  • Can be extended to Schoteroog and make a very long walk
  • Clean water
  • Maintained pathways means it is not too muddy in winter

Cons:

  • Large part of the walk is on a dyke next to either cycle paths or a road
  • No off leash walks in summer

Location:

Park 21 – Extended version, Zwaanshoek

I stumbled upon this hidden gem when the road to another area was closed for repairs, I drove on to find a spot to stop and figure out a different route and spotted a car park where two dog walking vans were parked and I thought to myself, this needs to be investigated. I’m glad I did!

The car park looks like a small parking spot in the middle of a field, you would not know what lays behind if you didn’t know. There is no name board so I do not know what this parking spot is called, but it is just off Spieringweg and pretty easy to find. (Enter the co-ordinates 52.30688, 4.615900 into Google maps).

The route follows the main road a little way, so I would not call it the quietest of routes, but you are far enough away from the road, making it safe enough for off-leash walking.

Follow the paths south in the little forest next to the N205, you can zig-zag around if you want to, there seems to be a range of paths I have not tried out yet, and some are almost not recognisable as paths but the walking signposts tell me they are… Aim for the Leendert van der Meulenbrug, this bridge goes over the N205 and into Park 21. There is a spot here where it is a paved cycle path but there are no cars, however, unless you have a perfect heel I would leash your pup here if I were you, just for a few minutes until you get back onto the muddy pathways and out the way of high speed cyclists.

I did not find any real water spots, there are bits and pieces here and there where canals have been dug out for irrigation but not really anywhere for your pup to swim or drink. Bring drinking water with you if it is hot.

When you reach Park 21, there are signs that dogs are not allowed in the recreational play area, but I have to confess I didn’t even find this forbidden spot, I think it is actually on the other side of the IJtoch, a canal that you don’t even need to cross on this walk. There is a circular pathway around the area, and one more parking spot directly on this route. So if you want to cut the walk short, you can park right by Park 21 and just do a short round. This parking for the short park walk is just off the roundabout by Nieuwebennebroekerweg/Deltaweg.

Pros:

  • Hardly any other dogs on the route from parking to Park 21
  • Extendable walk, make it as long or as short as you like
  • Lots of tree cover for sun shade or shelter from rain

Cons:

  • No real water areas, bring drinking water if the weather is hot
  • Park 21 can be busy with other dog walkers
  • Nearby road noise gets in the way of a quiet meditative walk

Location:
(note, this map is slightly off – parking is at the little dead-end road just at the start of the walking paths, Spieringweg 1109 is actually right opposite the parking spot, but I cannot make WordPress Maps any more accurate than this!)

Meester Enschedepark, Aerdenhout

Meester Enschedepark is a little hideaway on the road from Haarlem towards the dunes in Zandvoort, and is a section made available to the public at the bottom of the larger conservation area. This little park makes up for it’s lack of size by throwing you a tiny maze of pathways, all beautifully overgrown with natural ground, perfect for keeping your pups nose busy. Although it is essentially 3 loops combined, you have a feeling that it is larger than it actually is. In total you can expect to walk for about half an hour before all paths have been trodden at least once.

It is lovely and shaded but there is no watering hole, although for such a small area that will only be an issue on super hot days. There is also a small horse path and a couple of cycle paths weaving through the park.

During a lunchtime walk on a weekday, I think I met about 4 other dogs in total, and it’s easy to avoid them if your pup is not feeling playful today. However if he is feeling playful, there is a little sandy open area that is totally dug over from pups having a play date, not to mention other little open areas on the way that are big enough to play chase.

The park is situated directly next to the road and it is not fenced off and some of the paths that look like they are part of a loop actually end directly on the main road, keep your pup in view if he is prone to scooting off after squirrels.

Parking is limited, there are a couple of little bays on the side of the road big enough for about 3 or 4 cars each on Bentveldsweg and Meester H. Enschedeweg, where the largest park entrances are. The smaller entrances have no parking on them. I go by bakfiets.

It is one of those useful spots you need on your list where you can quickly take your pup out if you have no time or the weather is terrible.

Oh and look out for the fake tree…

Pros:

  • Not to busy for such a small and local area
  • Very natural landscape, feels bigger than it is
  • Shaded for hot weather

Cons:

  • Small area
  • Limited parking
  • No water

Location:

De Boseilanden, Zwaanshoek

De Boseilanden is about a 3km long and narrow stretch of land alongside the N205. It’s a deceptively large area and, judging by the lack of dogs everywhere, it’s also not that well known. Keep this to yourselves…

There are several entrances to the area, driving up pathways and parking in private housing areas, but I prefer to use the larger, common parking area just off the Bennebroekerweg. The last few times I have been there at weekends, there has been a couple of trucks selling flowers and kibbling, but the parking area is big enough not to be blocked by these vans, and in fact the kibbling was a welcome end to our little trek 🙂

The walk is not really circular, but because it is essentially a large dyke, the “there-and-back” can be on both sides and gives you a feeling of a circular route.

The whole area is shared with horse paths and it is also a large mountain bike course, so you need to be on the lookout to make sure you don’t get in anyone’s way, especially if you wander across a bike path. They are easy to spot, the light gravel narrow paths are for bikes. Having said that, I think I saw 4 mountain bikers in total on my walk in springtime, so they should be pretty easy to avoid. If it looks busy then just stay off their path, there’s enough space for everyone.

I think in all there is pretty much all you would want for a walk here. Open spaces, clean enough water, hidden small animals to sniff out, there is even a spot with a tunnel and poles to play-train a little. Although the park is next to a busy road, there is a canal separating the two, so unless your pup is a serious swimmer and climber with zero recall, then there is no chance of him wandering into the busy traffic.

Pros:

  • Free parking
  • Pretty much everything catered for in one area
  • Not very busy

Cons:

  • Shared with mountain bikers, need to be vigilant
  • Nothing else that I can think of…

Location:

Het Naaldenveld, Bentveld

This is a small area with a single pathway through the middle (there and back), which seems to be a bit of a walk-through for the local walkers and cyclists, but with a little creative zig-zagging it can be stretched out to a decent foraging walk if you go off the track a little. Being a very local forest in a built up area, it’s busy with both dog walkers, runners and kids. You will not be alone!

A few of the tracks we tried out ended up with a fence so we had to turn back, but we did manage to find a bit of a wandering path away from the main stretch that made the walk more interesting. Be prepared to clamber over blackberry bushes and thorny shrubs!

It’s all very overgrown away from the main path which makes it an excellent spot to practice hiding treat-filled dummies and sending your dog off on a search. The density of the trees makes for decent rain cover.

It is a very basic forest area, there is no water but plenty of shade for summer. Don’t expect an amazing vista or hike, this is a place where I would choose to do a search training, a snuffle walk or a quick round in the rain. These little spots are just as useful as the 2 hour hiking routes for just those reasons!

There is a parking spot just in front of the entrance to the forest area.

Pros:

  • Quick and easy round
  • Good for scent training or snuffle walks
  • Wild and unkept pathways is a treat to sniff in

Cons:

  • Small area
  • Paths away from the main route are not easy to see and some have dead-ends
  • Can be a little busy

Locaton:

Zandvoort Dunes

A lovely little all-round area with street parking directly next to the start of the dunes, a range of mini hills to climb, sand pits to fall into, mice to chase and a grassy, forest area at one end. If you feel so inclined you could even walk to the beach from here.

Park in one of the paid-parking bays on the Frans Zwaanstraat or the Cort van der Lindenstraat, or even in the De Zuid car park which is closer to the beach.

This is a fairly busy spot and also used by dog walkers with packs. Be prepared to meet at least 5 dogs close up and about twice that amount from a distance, if your dog is not social or is in a bad mood (it happens to the best of us…), then this is not the place to be. Having said that, there are so many pathways that you can easily change course and avoid oncoming traffic if your pup is in a huff.

I like the diversity of this place and my pup seems to really enjoy the things to sniff and the space to run, he really seems to skip around this park. There is a lovely little lake fairly close to the road which gets frequented by kids and bathers in summer but left to dogs and ducks once the weather cools down.

This is not a closed area, one complete side of this park is open to a road so if your pup tends to run far ahead, then don’t let him off until you are far back from the road. It’s basically a long, thin stretch of dunes running parallel to the road. If you zig-zag across the area you could stretch the duration of your walk to a good hour or so.

Pros:

  • Diverse scenery and smells
  • Multiple pathways to lengthen your walk
  • Not possible to get lost even if you have zero sense of direction!

Cons:

  • Busy area used for pack walkers
  • Open to a road

Location:

Wijk aan Zee / Velsen Noord

Just north of the canal and ferry port, Wijk aan Zee is quite a cute little town with a dunes area and dog beach. It’s skyline is dominated a little by Tata Steel’s smoking chimneys and in some spots you don’t really want to breath in deeply, however on the shoreline and looking in the right direction you could imagine it is not even there!

We parked at the Rijckert Aertszweg parking place and walked towards the Noord-Pier. Right next to this parking spot is an entrance to the dunes, and we took a long stroll through the dunes towards the canal, only to note on our way out that the gaps in the fence are probably not official… There are many signs all over saying no entry (Only visible from the outside and further down from our “entrance”!), however Google maps definitely shows this section as a dog area, and there are clear trodden pathways frequented by locals so we followed them, and it was lovely. We returned via the beach to make the most of the area.

Velsen Noord is the section adjacent to Wijk aan Zee, it runs right up to the canal. Walking along the beach through both sections takes about half an hour not including pooch playtimes. At Noord-Pier there are a few restaurants, and judging by the huge number of car parking spots on the road just behind, it is a popular place to be. Certainly it seemed busy enough even in these Corona times.

Hidden in the dunes are some bunkers, for those who follow the bunker trails. On the whole it is quite a bit busier than the beaches south of the canal, but if you feel like a change in direction for a day, it’s nice enough.

Pros:

  • Wide flat beach, lovely for running around
  • Interesting dunes nearby
  • Free parking

Cons:

  • Tata Steel’s proximity
  • Uncertainty over use of the dunes
  • Fairly busy beach even in winter

Location:

Bloemendaal aan Zee

Between 15th April and 1st October, dogs are only allowed on the beach between Bloemendaal aan Zee and Zandvoort before 9am and after 7pm. That means in summer, this is a lovely early morning walking spot, or a walk watching the sun go down, plus the photo opportunities are great! Coming by public transport is also a great option, take the bus into Bloemendaal, walk along the beach all the way to Zandvoort and then take the train home!

In winter of course the beach is lovely and deserted – when the temperature drops to below 10 degrees then it is mostly runners or people with dogs that frequent the sands.

Park on the Boulevard Barnaart, and in summer, parking is free before 8am and after 10pm. Click here for more parking information.

Pros:

  • It’s the beach!
  • Fantastic sunsets in the evening
  • Walk can be as long or short as you like

Cons:

  • Limited dog access in the summer

Location:

Blinkertpad, Haarlem

This is not an official spot, but on the corner of the Houtmanpad and Westerlikje Randweg, is a field that is pretty much surrounded by canals, making it quite a safe spot to play in. The Blinkertpad is the pathway that runs from De Beartrixschool down the middle of the two parts of the field, and stops short by the canal. Literally a road to nowhere!

You can park in Abel Tasmankade and walk over the little bridge by the Kinderopvang onto the Houtmanpad. Follow this path underneath the Randweg to the field. It will take just 15 minutes or so to walk around the whole field, so this is not a long walk, but I often use it as part of a leash-walk day and plan this field in my walk for a little energy release.

You can stick to the path, or walk alongside the canal at the end near the main road, and then follow the field all the way round at the edge until you meet the path again. Its a little route that is full of sniffing opportunities and some clean-ish canal water access, but it can get boggy after rainfall.

If you want to extend your walk, at the other end of the field by De Beartrixschool is another exit, walk past the school and turn left to walk towards Duinvliet and make a big round trip, or turn right to Brouwerskolkpark to make an even bigger round trip!

The Houtmanpad is an official losloopgebied but is shared by cycles, and as it goes past a school and two kinderopvangs (kindergarden), so it is also populated by little people not noticing off leash pups until they trip over them, or worse – wanting to stroke them! Hold onto your pup as you walk past the Beatrixschool – either it gets busy outside the gates when kids are being picked up, or the gates are simply left open…

I understand this field is actually private land and the owner simply allows dog owners to use the space, so do be respectful and be sure to clean up after your pup, even if the grass is sometimes long. There are poop bins close to the school or along the Houtmanpad.

Pros:

  • Excellent if you are short on time but want your pup to burn some energy
  • Can easily hook up to other walking spots to extend your walk

Cons:

  • Houtmanpad can be busy with cycles
  • The field gets very, very wet and soggy if there has been enough rain

Where is it?

Krantje Lek & Dunes, Haarlem

Along the Duinlustweg towards Elswout, unless you knew it, you wouldn’t believe that there is an entrance to the dunes here. Directly behind the Krantje Lek restaurant is the start of the cycle path that goes all the way to Zandvoort!

If you go up the sandbank on the left, past the little kiddies play area, there is a pathway that runs next to the fence parallel to the cycle path that you can let your pup sniff and play without risk of running in front of a high speed cyclist. There are sections where the two paths cross and it is definitely best to hold onto your pup here, people with serious bikes tend to fly along this path, but if you keep going parallel to the pathway / railway track, eventually you can cross underneath the railwaytrack and get into wider dune space.

There is a watering hole but it is not after about 45 minutes walking into the dunes – bring water on a hot day!

Park either in the Krantje Lek car park or alongside the road nearby. However if you are going to use the restaurant car park, it’s only fair you stop there and have a really tasty lunch after your walk!

Pros:

  • Variable routes as long or short as you like
  • Great, dog-friendly restaurant for after walk snacks!
  • Plenty of areas here and there

Cons:

  • Fast cycle path which gets busy in summer/weekends
  • Limited water spots

Location:

Molenplas, Meerwijkplas, Poelbroek

Situated between Schalkwijk and Vijvhuizen, the large Molenplas and Meerwijkplas lakes. This route winds around both lakes and takes you along a canal lined with some impressive houseboats. There are plenty of open spaces to run around in, and a range of pathways that give you some opportunity of random strolling.

Park at the car park by the De Molenplas restaurant, go over the white bridge and walk through the gate directly afterwards on your right. You can follow this path along the canal, after which it will take you to a series of pathways through semi covered tree spots or open fields, and winding round the water all the way. Note – this restaurant is popular in summer because of the outdoor area, which makes parking difficult at times. Try to aim for walks before lunchtime if it is sunny out there.

You can walk all the way up to Poelbroek where there are some nice little pathways to meander along and you can also find a large hedge-maze to play hide and seek in! You can walk in a full loop taking the path at the north of the lakes, but I usually do not usually do that since the north side of Meerwijkplas is a wide cycle path where you need to either leash your pup or be constantly on watch so he doesn’t get in the way of anyone. So I walk to Poelbroek and then loop back the way I came.

The best thing about this place is it is full of watering holes so perfect for hot days. It has lots of tall grass and reeds to hide in and there are obviously mice and little critters to sniff out – and a lot of pheasants! Resting spots are dotted along the way for us slow humans to sit and watch the ducks.

There are a few fishing spots here and there but really not that many and easy to avoid and on the whole, it is very clean here.

Pros:

  • Variable distance options depending on your mood/weather/etc
  • Lots of drinkable water
  • No horses!

Cons:

  • Parking can be very, very busy in summer
  • Some narrow paths
  • Mosquito haven

Location:

Venneperhout, Nieuw-Vennep

We found this place by accident. It doesn’t look like much from the outside and is pretty close to a busy road, but on further investigation it is actually a pleasant walk. It’s about a 20-25 minute drive from Haarlem centre.

The off-leash area is large enough for a decent stroll, the leashed-only area is mostly the open plain where the picnic tables are. The paths cross each other in several places and you can probably stretch a walk for maximum one hour, maybe a little longer if you take time to have a good sniff around. There are a lot of natural looking canals lined with long grasses and reeds, which make it a sniffing paradise for any pup. The water was clean in most places, there was a little litter in some of them but nothing you could not avoid.

The off-leash pathways are not 100% clearly marked, I found myself entering a losloopgebiet when I did not realise I had left one, however there was nobody else around to complain – I think we met about 3 other walkers the whole time we were there.

Parking can be found at the P+R Getsewoud Zuid, walk towards the Jeugland and cross the road at that point to find the entrance. Or you can park at the official parking place (Parkeerplaats Venneperhout) at the other end of the park.

Note: This walk is not on the same side as the Jeugland, it is on the opposite side of the road.

Pros

  • Very peaceful place, hardly any other people walking
  • Clean water and shade
  • Lots of sniffing fun

Cons

  • Close to a busy road with no fencing

Location:

Spaarnwoude/Houtrak

Houtrak is part of the vast Spaarnwoude network of recreational parks and is situated roughly halfway between Amsterdam and Haarlem. It is a popular place for picnickers, fishers, horse riders and, of course, dog walkers. That in mind, the park tries to provide a little for everyone.

A large part of the park is an off-leash area but some of the open fields are off limits to allow picnickers and BBQers to eat in peace. In summer, a lot of the waterways will be dotted with people settled for a days worth of fishing.

There are several paths to follow, some shared with cyclists but many that weave through forest growth. A large water area with a small beach is great for swimming and playing. It is one of those spots where you can weave around aimlessly for a good hour without noticing that you got lost 15 minutes ago…

Check summer events before setting off, sometimes there are music events which means half the park will be closed off.

The absence of public toilets does mean the fishers tend to use the bushes, if your pup finds human poop a delicacy then perhaps avoid this park in summer. Winter is lovely here when all areas are open to dogs and the number of unwanted distractions are much lower.

Parking can be found at the Park & Ride at the train station Halfweg-Zwanenburg, or one of the larger parking bays is near the Europarcs on Zuiderweg, just off the Wethouder van Essenweg. Follow the signs for the Coffee Jeep – a handy little mobile coffee wagon with very tasty coffee and cakes which can be found in the parking area until around 3pm.

Pros

  • Large area for off leash running
  • Close to train station
  • Water and shaded areas for hot days

Cons

  • Can be very busy in summer with people fishing and BBQing
  • Holds the current record for number of different types of poop found laying around in one day

Where is it?

Parnassia Beach

You can’t live in North Holland and not love the beach! Parnassia is the closest spot to Haarlem where dogs are allowed all year round. The edge of the beach is lined with dunes which give your pup something different to sniff on your way back home.

Because it is a dog area there tends to be slightly less people on it, and of course the further away you are from the parking areas and restaurants, the less people you will encounter who are sunbathing or picnicking.

You can walk all the way from Parnassia to IJmuiden, where you will find a lovely dog-friendly cafe/restaurant Paviljoen Noordzee. Technically the nudist beaches are not off-leash areas but I have never had anyone stop me. Keep to the shore line and you won’t even notice the areas to avoid.

This is a very clean beach, with bins dotted along the way for you to deposit poop bags. Let’s keep it clean!

Watch out for a land surfing school close to the restaurants, they can be pretty fast and you really do not want to get in their way!

Horses tend to gallop along the beach now and then, of course leaving their horse-potatoes behind them, but as for things lying around that can find their way into your pups mouth, apart from horse poop and jellyfish I tend to let him have his pickings. Nothing wrong with a little (sort of) fresh crab now and then…

Pros:

  • Choose between playing in the sea or playing in the dunes
  • Lots of space to play with / avoid other dogs
  • Dog-friendly cafes

Cons:

  • People…

Location:

Toolenburgergplas, Hoofddoorp

When we decided to check this place out, we originally thought it would be full of kids playing and screaming, and would find itself on our list of places to avoid. We were very pleasantly proven wrong! Toolenburgerplas is a large lake surrounded by park grounds. You can just walk around the lake which is around 3km or so. Or you can extend it a little and weave your way through the neighbouring walking paths, keeping out of the way of cyclists and giving your pup something more interesting to sniff.

The park is very well maintained, most paths are covered in gravel and the leash on/leash off areas are pretty well marked or even fenced off. Over half the lake edge is accessible for dogs.

Even in high summer on school holidays, the kids are only really playing in the enclosures where there are beaches and play areas that are off limits to dogs, but you can just walk past these on the pathways, leaving the dog walking paths surprisingly empty. I tend to walk first on the pathways nearest the road, these are all fenced off from the road and run between the trees, out of the way of kids play areas and the cycle path. In spring time there are some fabulous wild flowers and tall grasses on the banks next to the road. The leash free pathways end at a point near a basketball pitch and here is where I turn back and walk right alongside the water edge back to the parking, so it’s almost a circular route. Well, a banana shaped circular route… 🙂

For some reason there are probably more frogs per square meter than any other place in The Netherlands! They are the small black and green frogs and in the canals towards the road end of the park, they have such a chorus that you can’t hear yourself!

There is a large car park just off the Ijweg, close to the Long Island Restaurant. The leash free pathways can be accessed directly from this car park.

Pros:

  • Very clean area, clearly marked on or off leash areas
  • Clean lake water
  • Varied, fun to walk around

Cons:

  • Nothing I can think of…

Location:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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: