Kootwijkerzand 4.0-km Loop Trail

Kootwijkerzand is the largest area of active drifting sand in Western Europe, a stretch of bare dunes in the Veluwe, in the province of Gelderland, that looks surprisingly like a small desert. It lies near the village of Kootwijk, and a marked loop trail of about four kilometres leads walkers across it, giving a close look at one of the most unusual landscapes in the Netherlands. The scene of pale sand, scattered pines and low heather under a big sky is quite unlike the usual image of the country, and many people are surprised to find it here.

The sand has a long history. After the last ice age the winds piled sand into dunes across the Veluwe, and in the Middle Ages the removal of vegetation by grazing and woodcutting allowed it to drift again, burying fields and threatening villages. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries much of the drift sand was stabilised by planting pine forests, and today only a few areas remain open. Kootwijkerzand is the largest, and nature managers now keep it open deliberately, since the shifting sand supports specialised plants and animals that depend on bare ground, including insects, lizards and birds such as the woodlark and wheatear.

The trail is easy to walk, though the sandy ground makes it slower than it looks, and it is suitable for most levels of fitness. Gentle slopes lead over rolling dunes, and the views in every direction are wide. The landscape changes with the wind and the weather, and is especially beautiful at sunrise and sunset when the low light casts long shadows across the sand. In summer the heat can be intense, since there is little shade, and in winter the open ground is exposed to the wind, so dress accordingly.

Other trails cross the area, including a shorter orange trail of about three kilometres and a long ranger trail of around eighteen kilometres, which suit those who want a shorter or a longer walk. The surrounding Boswachterij Kootwijk, a forest managed by Staatsbosbeheer, offers more paths among the pines. There are no facilities along the trails, so bring water and snacks, and stay on the paths to protect the delicate vegetation. Nearby, the old Radio Kootwijk complex, built in the 1920s to communicate with the Dutch East Indies, is an unusual piece of industrial heritage.

The trail suits walkers, photographers and nature lovers. Allow about an hour and a half, and wear sturdy shoes, as sand gets into everything.