Category: In Haarlem or close by

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:

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?