Wandelnetwerk Noord-Holland

As with Heerenduinen, Midden-Herenduin, located between Driehuis and Santpoort-Noord, was the property of the Lords of Van Brederode for centuries. The dune on the inland edge was called the 'Wilderness' by the inhabitants of Velsen and Santpoort. The high dunes were overgrown with thorn bushes and other impenetrable thickets. Midden-Herenduin is now home to grazing Shetland ponies, Konik horses and Scottish highland cattle. The dune remains open and dynamic thanks to the animals walking and grazing on the land. Hence the small drifting areas that you see along the way. In the summer, Midden-Herenduin is a riot of purple thanks to the blooms of the viper’s-bugloss. There is also a lot of yellow dune ragwort.

The routes below are marked in one direction.

• The Listen to the birds Route (yellow) through Zuid-Kennemerland National Park in Driehuis is a short family walk. Learn more at Natuurmonumenten.nl.
• The Vossendel walking route (red) in Driehuis goes through a valley in Zuid-Kennemerland National Park. Vossendel translates as ‘foxes dale’ or ‘foxes valley’ and, although you aren’t likely to encounter a fox, you can see a lot of interesting things along the paths, from snails and beetles to special plants.
• On the Konik Route (black) at Driehuis and Santpoort-Noord you cross a WWII anti-tank ditch twice. In the winter you might just see a kingfisher here, and in spring the canal is home to breeding pairs of little grebes. The route traverses young and old forest in Zuid-Kennemerland National Park. You also walk over an open plain for a bit, where Natuurmonumenten helps the grazing animals and where the dune sand is allowed to drift.