Parks – Loslopen.net

Amsterdamse Bos, Amstelveen

While the majority of people seem to walk their pups at the very convenient but leash-only Vondelpark near the centre of Amsterdam, just a bus ride away brings you to the Amsterdamse Bos, a huge area with massive off-leash pathways and wide open fields for running, playing or training in. Don’t forget, dogs travel for free on busses in the Netherlands!

Start at the bus stop “Amsterdamse Bos” and walk towards the Bosbaan, a wide canal famous for its rowing events. If you are coming by car then there is a large car park near the restaurant De Bosbaan (lovely lunches…) but of course you pay Amsterdam parking prices to park there.

There is a pleasant pathway to the side of the Bosbaan, but it is leash-only, and therefore not covered in these pages.

From the restaurant, we walked past the Bosbaan towards the Klimbos (children’s climbing area), and then veered south, following the main pathways. This point is still leash-only, until you come to a painted sign on the floor which marks the start of the loslopgebied. From here on, just follow the extensive labyrinth of pathways, walk around the Kleine Vijver lake and wind your way back, that alone will be around a 7-8 km walk. To the right of the main pathway is a dog free zone which allows dogs on-leash between October and March. It’s up to you if you want to explore them, we didn’t because we were having too much fun running free in the fields!

One thing you need to know, this is not a secret spot by any means. It can be busy. Even on cold winter days on a late lunchtime walk, expect a mixture of private dog walkers, large pack walkers (blatantly ignoring the signs of 3 dogs per person), office workers taking a lunchtime stroll and, surprisingly, horses crossing your path. Having said that, this area is so large and with so many wide open spots, you can find a way to avoid uninvited attention.

There are many cycle paths throughout the areas, but it has been nicely planned in such a way that these paths run parallel to walking areas, separated by grassy banks or trees so that walkers and cyclists rarely cross paths, even over the little bridges in the park.

The Amsterdamse Bos is also a location of several events throughout the year, some of which will close large areas of the park. If your plan was a long, calm walk in the woods, then check the calendar before setting out.

Pros:

Huge area with wide open spaces
Easily accessible from Amsterdam via public transport
Lots of watery areas for hot summer days

Cons:

High parking fees if public transport is not an easy option for you
Can be busy
Hosts a number of large events

Location:

Bosbaan

Het Twiske, Oostzaan

Situated just north of Amsterdam, Het Twiske is an excellent spot to take a break from the city and give you and your pup some down time.

The park has a paid entrance fee of €3.50 for the first 3 hours, and if you stay longer than 3 hours then the parking fee jumps to €6.00, payable as you exit. But once you are inside the park, you can drive everywhere and park in any parking bay at no extra cost, which is useful if you want to explore all the walking areas and cafes without having to walk between them.

We parked at first near the Klimpark/Pannekoek De Appel, where there is a large parking area. Pretty much directly opposite the car park exit to De Zuiderlaaik is the start of a large loslopgebied which is clearly marked with a sign on a blue circle.

At the start of our walk we thought we might be disappointed because the route seemed to be concrete pathways set in a grid pattern, albeit nicely lined with high plants and grasses and some trees, but the dog seemed happy so we followed his nose. And I am glad we did because we ended up in a huge walking area that took us to the football club at the other side of the park, and back through some open fields and wonderful waterways.

There are a couple of signs warning about grazing cattle in one of the fields, but while we were there (in September) we didn’t see any. Even if there were a couple of cows in the field, it would not have been a major issue as we just needed a short hop across the corner of a field to get back to our pathway.

We pretty much walked a loop to the Ringvaart and back, then went over the bridge to the other side of the waterways, almost parallel to the Polderweg and back, and with a coffee and a quick snack in between we just about made it out of the park within the 3 hour price limit.

We encountered a range of park styles, from the concrete grids we mentioned earlier, to huge lakes, wonderful forest pathways, some wide open fields, there were even a few fields with open gates along the side which seem to be open to walkers, at least there was no sign on them to say otherwise, so we gave them a sniff too.

Not all areas are off leash areas, but there is plenty of space for you to let your pup run free, and any other area is simply a leashed zone, I don’t believe I found any area where dogs were completely forbidden. Of course the restaurants are dog friendly.

The entrance fee makes it a little unattractive if you just want to do a quick half hour walk, but if you have the time then it is definitely worth a visit.

Pros:

Extensive walking areas
Can drive between different walking areas or cafes and easily re-park
Variety of landscapes, lovely and watery for hot days

Cons:

Entrance fee regardless of how little time you spend there

Location:

Het Twiske

Noorderneg/Het Maalwater, Heiloo

There are two parts to the walking areas in Heiloo that we tend to visit. Noorderneg is essentially a long pathway or two that runs parallel to the water ways and this is a lovely spot in summer to cool off, and the other area is Heilooërbos, which is more of a forest area.

Noorderneg is a section of the Heiloo park, close to the children’s play areas and in summer it is popular with children swimming and playing in the park. However on the south side of these water areas is a long pathway with where dogs are allowed to run off leash all year. These pathways are mostly a simple pathway through a park, but there are some open grassy areas and trees alongside the pathways which makes it pleasant to walk and sniff. The lack of shade in summer is compensated by the enormous number of swimming opportunities.

The off leash paths start at Het Maalwater and running pretty much parallel to De Omloop up to the Zeeweg. You can either walk back the way you came and stay off leash which makes the distance you walk more flexible – you can simply turn around and go back if you are short on time – or cross over to the north side of the water and walk your leashed pup back to wherever you started from, but do note, you may encounter the odd sheep in fields very close to the pathways.

You can park for free at the open air swimming pool Het Baafje, or if you want to make it a longer walk, then park at the Wandlestartpunt Nijenburg just off Stetlaan, then walk along Belieslaan until you reach Het Maalwater. If you feel so inclined, once you have done the water round then you can continue into Heilooërbos by walking on past the Stetlaan parking area and really tire your dog out!

The handy thing about this area is not just the fantastic water scenery but the pathways are mostly maintained or even paved, so in winter when everywhere else is too muddy to enjoy, then this is still a good option.

In contrast to the limits in dog numbers per person in Heilooërbos, you can walk here with more than 3 dogs and this is therefore also a choice for dog walkers, but the pathways mostly have grass areas to the side so it is easy enough to make a little deviation if necessary.

Pros:

Beautiful watery area, perfect for hot days
Firm, non-muddy pathways
Good spot also for a short walk if you don’t have time

Cons:

Not much shade for people

Location:

Het Maalwater, Heiloo, Netherlands

Westenschouwen, Zeeland

On the island Schouwen-Duiveland, at the Kop van Schouwen (the outermost headland of the island) is a large hiking area that has a small off leash zone in the middle of the dunes.

As Zeeland caters mostly for tourists it is less open to free running dogs than other areas in the Netherlands. However although this whole dunes area may be mostly on leash walking, it is quite lovely so don’t skip it just because your pup prefers his freedom, the pathways and sniffing opportunities are so extensive that your pup will come out feeling very enriched even without running free, and you can always reward his patience with a little leg stretch at the off leash zone. It’s not a big off leash area but there is enough space to throw a frisbee around and have a little fun.

We parked in Westenschouwen, there is a large enough car park there right next to the Brasserie Zeelust (Steenweg 15, 4382 RL). Walk to the roundabout at the car park entrance and then along Kraaijensteinweg for about 10 minutes, and you will come across a kind of large rust coloured barrel with a pointy lid next to a sign saying “Duinen van Schouwen”. Walk up here, past the little cafe and keep going into the park.

The off leash area is north-west of where you start, and can be found in Google Maps, if you just search for “MPJ6+C7 Burgh-Haamstede”. It is clearly marked from all sides. We took a very indirect route there and just enjoyed the lovely shaded walk on a hot day.

Surprisingly, although Zeeland is a hugely touristy area, we met about 2 other people and only 1 other dog on the whole walk in the middle of July. It seems most people aim for the town, or the beaches and cafes which leaves this lovely walking area very peaceful.

There is no water here at all, so do bring a bottle or two with you for both you and your pup.

Pros:

Peaceful and extensive walking area
Shady on hot days
Labyrinth of paths, make it as long or as short as you like

Cons:

Mostly it’s a leashed walk
No water at all

Location:

Steenweg 15 4382, Haamstede, Netherlands

Waarderhout, Heerhugowaard

Waarderhout is a secret little gem of a forest just outside Heerhugowaard, a little north of Alkmaar. On first glance it just looks like a small park on the edge of town, and when you read that off leash dogs are only allowed on half of this park then you would be forgiven for thinking it is not worth the visit. But your pup would certainly miss out on a cool walk if you did so.

The north half of the park is an off leash area. As soon as you leave the car park you can let your dog off straight away. I usually turn right at the first opportunity (about 5 metres after the car park) and this looks like an overgrown and lesser trodden pathway, and it probably is, but follow this path around and you will wind up in a lovely forest with a lot of winding paths leading you who knows where for at least an hour. Mix it up with the prepared pathways if you want to, go over the bridges into more forest and generally just follow your nose, looping around the park as you go.

The canopy is quite dense so on a hot day it provides a lovely shade, but you only need a little rain for some of the pathways to turn muddy, and because there is so much shelter these muddy pools do not dry out as quickly as other areas. In winter it is a bit squelchy to walk through and you may want to stick to the stony pathways instead after a wet period.

There are so many waterways for your pup to explore. It seems that every turn you take there is a canal running nearby or next to you, and the water seems to be clear all year round. There is also, interestingly, a low number of water birds here. Presumably that is because the grass and plants are so tall on the banks of the canals, but it means less distractions for a pup and therefore is an excellent spot to do some training if you want to.

On the west side of the park not far from the off-leash boundary, there is a dog agility area with ramps, tyres to jump through, hurdles to jump over and poles to weave around. Add this into your training walk or just for fun. Right next to this area is a kind of beach where pups can cool off after a tiring agility session! On Google Maps this area is marked as “Stormbaan voor honden”.

Some parts of the forest pathways are beautifully overgrown, but it does mean you need to be in intrepid explorer mode in a couple of spots! Be sure to wear clothes that protects your legs and perhaps even your arms when holding branches out of your face.

Free parking can be found just off Beukenlaan, opposite house number 17. Unfortunately there are only 8 parking spots here and if this is full, there is no nearby public parking on Beukenlaan. If you are really keen to try out this forest then perhaps you could come with public transport (Bus 160 from Alkmaar – dogs travel free on busses) or use a bakfiets. Otherwise try outside busy times (i.e. early mornings, lunchtime). If you don’t find a spot to park and need to replan your walk, then Park van Luna is about a 5 minute drive away.

Pros:

Variety of landscapes
Lots of water and shade
Not many water birds

Cons:

Limited parking spaces
Can get very muddy

Location:

Waarderhout Parking

Diepsmeerpark, Oudkarspel

Diepsmeerpark is a decent-sized, well maintained park just north of Heerhugowaard and Alkmaar. It is a little maze of canals and open areas and if you walk up and down all sides of these canal “islands” , you can stretch your walk up to an hour or so.

Technically the leash free zone is only at the north of the park, but I have to say it is not clearly marked, and most people just use the whole park to let their dogs run around. There is a kids play area and football field and I would definitely leash my dog in these areas, otherwise, just follow the locals.

At one point there is a cycle path which runs though the park north to south, but to the side of this, just by the Bee Valley hut, there is a small slope with a rarely used (and often overgrown) path that takes you behind the trees overlooking all the fields next to the park, and out of the way of everyone else. You can walk along this makeshift pathway right up to the road where the car park is, and then go back into the park for further exploring.

There are some fun elements in the park too, there is a little pyramid with steps to the top, where there is a circle of stone seating and a sandy play area, and you can get a lovely view of the whole park from up here. Also dotted around there are large concrete tunnels and doggy play areas which you can use to just have fun with.

The whole area is very watery, so after heavy rain then it is a bit squishy, but that is mostly only around the canals, if you stick to pathways you will have a firmer, dryer walk. Albeit rather short.

It can get a bit busy, especially during lunchtime – even during the week. If you wanted a solitary stroll then this is probably not the place for you, however there are plenty of turnarounds and wider areas to give oncoming walkers space.

There are two free parking areas, use the one to the north of the park just off of Hopmansweg, this takes you straight into the leash free zone.

Pros:

Lots of water to splash around in
Clean and tidy park
Play areas and bushes, great for fun and training

Cons:

Can get pretty busy
Wet and a little swampy after heavy rainfall

Location:

Dwingelderveld, Dwingeloo/Ruinen

Dwingelderveld National Park is a huge park situated in Drenthe, between Ruinen and Dwingeloo. It is so extensive that it is not possible to walk the whole area in one day, and for that reason we stayed for three nights in a holiday home site in Ruinen, in the Vacantiepark De Wiltzangh – an Ex-Europarcs location which is now privately owned. We hired a “Sterrenborg Lodge”, dog friendly and plenty of distance from other cabins. Highly recommended!

The reason we chose this place is because it is literally situated at the edge of the park and all the walks we did could be started straight out of the front door, but if you don’t want to make a mini-break then there are several parking areas dotted around the park, for example opposite the Theehuys Anserdennen is a fairly decent parking area.

We visited in late March which was warm and sunny enough to want some shade and water. In high summer the trees will provide even more shade than we had but a large part of the hiking area is open heathland, it’s one of the most impressive views of the park and for most walks, it is pretty much unavoidable to be walking along open heath at some point. I am sure you could adapt your walk to stick to the shade, but we all really enjoyed the novel scenery. We plan to revisit in September but my feeling is that this area is probably most enjoyable outside the summer season.

I am not going to list the exact walks we did because there are so many walks and variations of those walks that you can follow. We used a combination of Komoot and Outdoor Active to select our walks but there are also signs that can be followed, or simply follow your nose/dog.

Not all areas are off leash and these zones are clearly marked, the pink running-dog sign on posts is the off leash sign, and outside these signs your dog needs to be leashed. Some areas have grazing animals, we did not see any in March (just the warning signs) but these areas definitely require you to leash your dog whether the animals are there or not. But there are plenty of off leash areas for you to let your pup properly stretch his legs.

Some of the pathways are shared with cyclists or horses (or both). They are clearly marked with signs, and differences in the pathway make it obvious who belongs where. It’s quite well thought out. Just be sure to keep your pup on the right part of the path!

There are some raised walkways over some marshland. In March it was only wet in patches but I still did not want to let my dog squelch through at the side of the walkway. The raised walkway is covered with a heavy wire, presumably to make it less slippery when wet and my dog was fine walking over it. No snagged claws and he could not see enough through the planks to make him hesitant. And if you are walking with kids as well as dogs, then look out for some fantastic frogs in these areas!

We walked past at least two large lakes with beautiful clear water. There are plenty of other watery areas or smaller pools or mini canals along the way, even in some of the vast open plains there are water pools. Some are inaccessible and only there for the grazing animals, so bring some drinking water for your pup just in case the water you were aiming for on your map turns out to be on of these.

On one walk we came across an enormous radio telescope from Astron, and at the base there are boards with some interesting information about the telescope and its work.

We only saw two potential cafes on the whole weekend, and unfortunately in March, both of these were closed. So if you are walking off-season for the whole day then I suggest you bring your own coffee and lunch! There are plenty of open areas or picnic tables to stop at en route.

It is not easy to just select a few of the 100’s of photos we took, but these should whet your appetite:

Pros:

Seemingly endless choice of walks
Plenty of stops to rest up and have a cosy snack or picnic
Lots of varied landscape, including fresh water lakes

Cons:

Some areas have no shade at all
Chance of meeting grazing animals
Will be at least a full day trip for most people

Location:

Ruinen, Netherlands

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.