Schagen: West Frisian Folklore, Castle Towers and Dunes

Schagen combines a distinctive urban history with West Frisian folklore and surroundings where dunes, wetlands and special bird habitats meet. Historic towers, museums and cultural sites are just as central as hiking trails, a GPS cycling route and landscapes around Petten, Callantsoog and the Schagerwad.

Nature

Zwanenwater is a Natura 2000 site and officially designated as a wetland of international importance. At the same time, it is a 600-hectare dune area near Callantsoog with two dune or beach lakes. Two hiking trails, 2.5 and 5.8 kilometres long, pass through this landscape.

The Pettemerduinen are located nearby, a long, narrow strip of dunes between Zwanenwater and the dike of the Hondsbossche Zeewering. There, you can walk protected by woodland, enjoy far-reaching views from high dunes and reach the beach. In addition, the 18-kilometre GPS cycling route "Sea, dune, dike and polder" runs along the new cycle path beside the Hondsbossche Duinen into the hinterland.

The Schagerwad is also one of the region's nature areas. It covers approximately 100 hectares and is almost entirely owned and managed by Staatsbosbeheer. In spring, meadow birds such as lapwings, redshanks and black-tailed godwits can be observed there. In autumn and winter, Eurasian teals, northern shovelers and hundreds of Eurasian wigeons are present.

During the bird migration at the end of March and in April, waders such as bar-tailed godwits, common sandpipers, common snipes, ruffs, Eurasian curlews, European golden plovers, green sandpipers, spotted redshanks and common greenshanks can be seen in the Schagerwad. Canada geese and hares can be found there all year round. Another hiking trail is the Pad van Bigot in Petten, named after Mart Bigot.

Culture

The city of Schagen received its city rights in 1415 and probably originated in the 10th century. Slot Schagen was built around 1440, when the first lord of Schagen had an existing stone house converted into a square moated castle. The Grote Kerk was built between 1895 and 1897 in the Neo-Gothic style to a design by J.A.G. van der Steur. It is a rare example of this architectural style in a Protestant church.

West Frisian Folklore originated in 1953. Every year in July and August, the Stichting ter Bevordering Westfriese Folklore organises ten West Frisian Thursdays, each day having a different theme. The West Frisian Folklore procession includes around 20 horse-drawn teams and 350 volunteers.

In Schagen's historic centre is Museum Vreeburg, a town farmhouse from the 17th century that has been completely restored in the old style and is also a carriage museum. It provides an impression of life and living conditions around 1900. Museum Vreeburg's carriage museum displays authentic carriages belonging to the Stichting Westfriese Folklore.

Historical information is also available through the "Erfgoed Schagen in Kaart" application. It provides access to the municipality's monuments, cultural-historical structures, archaeological information and historical maps. The first recorded mention of a church at the site of the Sint-Christoforuskerk dates from 998.

The Palendorp near Petten commemorates old Petten, which was flooded by the sea long ago. It consists of 160 poles measuring six to twelve metres in length, representing ten houses and a church. The eastern medieval castle tower of Slot Schagen at Slotplein 2 in Schagen houses the Museum Slag van de Somme, with a collection of objects from the First World War.

The Regionaal Museum 1940-1945 Schagen en omstreken is located in the right castle tower of Schagen Castle. It offers guided tours about the period from 1940 to 1945, particularly focusing on the area of Schagen and its surroundings.

Another collection is presented by the Automuseum Schagen, with cars from different years of manufacture and countries. It also includes motorcycles, mopeds, bicycles, old agricultural equipment, model cars and traffic-related decorations such as petrol pumps, enamel signs and illuminated advertising.

The Cultuurhuis Markt 18 is located in Schagen's former town hall and houses, among other things, the Scagon de Luxe theatre.

Other places

You can find more places under Schagen, Waarland, Schagerbrug.

To the higher-level travel overview: North Holland.

More destinations

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Velsen, Oostzaan, Haarlemmermeer, Castricum, Weesp.