There are various ways to explore the nature and cultural heritage of Sint Philipsland. The bird route links natural and cultural-historical sights, while the “Beweging” Parelroute introduces the area through the tides, the turning sails of the old mill, the former tram and local sports. The Eendenkooi Sint Philipsland combines diverse birdlife with an old Dutch duck-catching tradition. You can choose what to focus on: a cycling tour, local themes, or a site of natural and cultural heritage.

Trails and landscape in the Slikken van de Heen area

In the Slikken van de Heen area, the Torenroute, at 3.7 kilometres, and the Verrekijkerroute, at 2.5 kilometres, start from the car park on Campweg. The Verrekijkerroute is therefore the shorter of the two; both start from the same car park. The landscape of the Slikken van de Heen includes former sandbanks, mudflats and salt marshes, as well as wooded and open areas. When the Philipsdam was completed in 1987, the areas became dry and were desalinated. Many bird species breed there, including marsh harrier, stonechat, tree pipit, osprey and white-tailed eagle. Check the latest trail and access information before setting out.

Bird route and observations by the water

The Sint Philipsland bird route is a 19-kilometre cycling tour. Its highlights include diverse vegetation, cultural-historical features, and birds feeding and nesting. At junction 97, cyclists can walk up the dyke and enjoy the view over the Krabbenkreek. At low tide, hundreds of birds search for food on the mudflats there. If you want to see them feeding, plan your visit around low tide.

The Eendenkooi and local themes

The Eendenkooi Sint Philipsland is a bird-rich site with wild ducks such as mallard, teal, wigeon, pochard, gadwall, shoveler and shelduck. Birds that nest in the reed beds include little grebe, marsh warbler and marsh harrier. The Eendenkooi is also a site of Dutch cultural heritage, where an old Dutch duck-catching tradition is still practised. Visits are possible during the opening season by contacting the kooiker (duck decoy keeper) in advance. Nature and traditional craft are equally central to this site; planning a visit means taking the seasonal opening period and contacting the keeper in advance into account.

The “Beweging” Parelroute introduces Sint Philipsland through the changing tides, the turning sails of the old mill, the former tram and local sports. Its themes range from natural processes and local history to sport in the area. This thematic approach offers a different perspective from birdwatching and landscape observation on the nature and cycling routes.

Choose routes to suit your distance and activity

There are different options when choosing a route: the Torenroute and Verrekijkerroute start from the same car park and are 3.7 and 2.5 kilometres long, respectively, while the Sint Philipsland bird route is a 19-kilometre cycling tour. If you decide on your activity and preferred distance first, you can then choose the most suitable focus: landscape features, birdwatching at low tide, or the cultural-historical themes of the routes.

Discover more destinations: Poortvliet, Sint Maartensdijk, Tholen, Sint-Annaland, Stavenisse, Scherpenisse

Back to the main travel overview: Tholen.