In Zeewolde, you can choose between forest landscapes, marked walking trails, art, beaches and cycling tours. The attractions offer different highlights: trails and nature take centre stage in the Horsterwold, different types of beach meet at Woldstrand, and art can be found both in Zeewolde and in the Horsterwold. This makes it easy to plan your stay around the things that interest you most.
Forest and marked trails
The Horsterwold is a contiguous deciduous forest covering more than 3,700 hectares. It is accessible year-round from sunrise to sunset via its paths and trails. Stille Kern is a 1,100-hectare area within the Horsterwold and is one of Flevoland’s designated quiet areas. There, you can follow the tracks of wild Konik horses.
Two trails of the same length are among the walking options: the Wielewaal is 2.6 kilometres long, marked in red and managed by Staatsbosbeheer. It passes through the Horsterwold in the municipality of Zeewolde. The Natuurpad Horsterwold is also 2.6 kilometres long, but is marked in light blue. Visitors can see hundreds of different mushroom species along this trail. Although both are the same stated length, they have different markings and focus on different aspects of nature.
The Stille Kern route leads to and around a large natural lake; along the way, it passes the Tuurtoren and a bird-watching hut. The Tuurtoren is a twelve-metre-high tower on the Horsterberg, with views over Stille Kern. It is also on the cycling junction network. This viewpoint therefore brings together walking and cycling navigation, without requiring you to treat the two types of route as the same.
Art in Zeewolde and the Horsterwold
De Verbeelding is a centre for art and culture in Zeewolde. In De Wetering landscape park, you’ll find Sea Level by Richard Serra: the work consists of two concrete walls, each 200 metres long. It illustrates the water level that would reach the tops of the walls in the absence of dikes. Its dimensions and the idea behind it give the artwork a clear connection to the landscape and protection from water.
The Kunstroute Zeewolde leads to artworks both in the town of Zeewolde and in the Horsterwold. It offers a different experience from viewing a single work: art can be found in two separate locations. If you’re interested in visiting De Verbeelding, an adapted toilet is available there for visitors with disabilities.
Woldstrand and cycling tours
Woldstrand has several themed beaches: a children’s beach with play equipment, a youth beach with the Atol, a surf beach and a dog beach. A beach promenade connects the beaches. There are also sanitary facilities and a large car park. TOP Woldstrand is in the centre of Zeewolde, at the edge of Woldstrand, and is also the starting point for the Oud- en Nieuwland cycling route on Strandweg.
The Oud- en Nieuwland route is suitable for regular and electric bikes and is mostly paved. Another option is the Grote Trap route: it starts at De Parel campsite, passes through De Grote Trap in the Zeewolde area and ends back at the campsite. De Grote Trap itself is an eight-kilometre-long nature corridor with a winding cycle path. The stated information therefore distinguishes between the length of the corridor and the route it follows.
Play activities and practical information
At Speelbos Zevensprong, children can climb, run, play and build huts in a natural setting among trees and shrubs. Together with the children’s beach at Woldstrand, it offers a choice of different play activities, without implying that both attractions involve the same kind of activity.
The Wielewaal can also be reached by public transport: there is a bus stop near the start of the trail on Dasselaarweg. If you’re considering a ride through the Horsterwold in an Ecokar, it is suitable for people with physical disabilities, provided they are able to get into the vehicle. This condition is relevant when choosing a tour and should be taken into account when planning.
For the main travel overview: Zeewolde.
