Oostvoorne: Dunes, Coastal Landscape and History
Accommodation in Oostvoorne
In the centre of Oostvoorne stands Burcht van Oostvoorne, a medieval ruin. Its remains include a residential tower dating from the 13th century. Its location in the town centre directly connects the medieval complex with the present-day town of Oostvoorne.
File:Commonwealth war graves - The Netherlands - Oostvoorne Roman Catholic cemetery.jpg
Photo: Nannix via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Oostvoorne is also home to the 30-hectare Landgoed Mildenburg. Straight avenues structure its historic parkland. In this way, the estate preserves not only its size but also a clearly recognisable historic park layout.
The Biberbunker is a German command bunker from the Second World War in Oostvoorne. Today, it is set up as a museum. Burcht van Oostvoorne and the Biberbunker therefore represent different historical eras, both of which are visible in the town.
Further information about the area is also available for Rockanje.
Nature and Coastal Landscape
Duinen van Oostvoorne is a 264-hectare nature reserve. The area has designated walking and cycling routes. The wet dune valleys are among the distinctive landscape forms of Duinen van Oostvoorne, where rare plants grow. These plants include Moerasgamander. In the Netherlands, it occurs only on Voorne-Putten. The paths and wet dune valleys are part of the same extensive nature reserve, allowing the landscape forms and plant life within Duinen van Oostvoorne to be experienced together.
The Slikken van Voorne form a dynamic coastal landscape. Tides shape this area. New creeks and sandbanks are among the landscape features that develop there. The Slikken van Voorne are a resting area for seals and birds. They are also suitable for walking and birdwatching. The coastal landscape is therefore not static: besides the animals, the newly forming creeks and sandbanks are also part of its appearance.
The dune area of Voorne can be explored from TOP Oostvoorne. This starting point refers to the dune area as a continuous landscape and complements the designated paths within Duinen van Oostvoorne.
Routes through Oostvoorne
Landgoed Mildenburg has a two-kilometre route. This route can be requested free of charge. The route is therefore located directly by the estate, whose historic parkland is structured by straight avenues. The route and the parkland belong to the same complex and connect the designated trail with the historic grounds.
The Oostvoorne mountain bike route follows Oostvoorne’s former coastline. It also passes through Geuzenbos. For a walk, the Betoverend Oostvoorne route specifies a length of 13.3 kilometres. It takes approximately two hours and 40 minutes. The routes therefore include both the former coastline and Geuzenbos, as well as a walking route with a specifically measured distance.
Water at Oostvoornse Meer
There is a beach on the northern side of Oostvoornse Meer. It is one of two bathing water locations at Oostvoornse Meer. Its lakebed is hard. Thanks to its excellent visibility, the beach is popular with divers and surfers. The beach therefore combines a designated bathing water location with the conditions mentioned for diving and surfing.
For the higher-level travel overview: Westvoorne.
