At the 26-metre-high Piramideduin in Petten, you can climb the dune. From the top, the view stretches over the beach and dunes to the Noordhollandsch Kanaal, the polders with their windmills and, in spring, flowering bulb fields. Together with the wide sandy beach and paths through the dunes, this changing mix of views, landscape and activity shapes the character of a stay in Petten.

Dune Landscape by the Sea

Petten lies right next to a dune area surrounded by woodland, with a small lake hidden within it. The Pettemerduinen are a long, narrow strip of dunes between Zwanenwater and the Hondsbossche Zeewering. This landscape includes woodland, heathland, dune lakes and beach. You can walk under the shelter of the woodland; from high dune tops, the views stretch far, and on the beach you can enjoy the fresh sea air. Petten’s bathing beach is a vast sandy beach that begins at the Hondsbossche Zeewering.

Trails and Coastal Views

The Pad van Bigot is a walking trail in Petten named after Mart Bigot and runs over the Hondsbossche Zeewering. Walking and cycling paths also run through the dunes towards Camperduin. The Zand tegen Zee route follows the Pettemer Zeewering, the new foredunes and the Hazedijk van de Zijp; it also includes a section of beach with sea views. The trails therefore offer different focal points: a named walking trail over the Hondsbossche Zeewering, or a route along several coastal features with views of the beach.

Coastal Protection and Local History

The landscape’s development is linked to coastal protection. In 2015, the Hondsbossche Duinen were created as a sandy coastal protection structure on the site of the former Hondsbossche and Pettemer Zeewering. Reinforcing the coast with sand from the sea transformed the fortified dike structure into a wide beach with a dune landscape. The former Hondsbossche Zeewering was a 5.5-kilometre-long fortified dike between Camperduin and Petten. It protected the land from the sea; its long history includes storm damage and dike repairs.

Palendorp Petten commemorates old Petten, which was flooded by the sea long ago. The artwork consists of 160 posts, six to twelve metres long, arranged in the form of ten houses and a church. This gives the memorial a visible village motif. Together with the history of coastal defence, Palendorp tells of the changing relationship between Petten and the sea.

When to Visit and Getting There

In spring, you can see flowering bulb fields from the Piramideduin; from 1 July through 31 August, the free Kustbus line 851 connects Petten with Den Helder. Check the timetable before travelling. This allows you to plan the timing of your stay around the seasonal landscape and the bus connection.

Discover more destinations: Callantsoog, Burgerbrug, Sint Maartensvlotbrug, Sint Maartenszee, Sint Maartensbrug, Het Korfwater, Oudesluis, 'T Zand

For the overview of the wider area: Zijpe.