16 km
Schoorl beach
Schoorl aan Zee is the kind of beach you go to for space, silence and a real sense of escape. Hidden beyond the Schoorlse Duinen, the highest and widest dune area in the Netherlands, it stays beautifully quiet because there’s no road leading straight to the sand.
Walk or cycle through the dunes and you emerge onto a broad, unspoilt beach where the coast feels open, peaceful and wonderfully far removed from the crowds.
How to get there
From Strand49, cycle south towards Schoorl. The final stretch to the beach takes you through the dunes: allow around 25 minutes on foot from the nearest car park, or continue a little further by bike. Don’t have a bike with you? You can hire a bike or e-bike from us. That extra bit of distance is exactly what helps keep this part of the coast so peaceful.
Het strandpaviljoen
Right on the beach you’ll find Strandpaviljoen Paal 29, a slightly tucked-away spot that’s all the more appealing for it. It’s a lovely place to stop for something to eat or a drink with views of the sea after your walk through the dunes.
The Schoorlse Duinen
The landscape behind the beach is unlike anywhere else in the Netherlands. Here, the dunes are up to five kilometres wide, with the highest peaks rising to more than fifty metres. In the village of Schoorl, there’s also a famous climbing dune where children can burn off plenty of energy.
Pair a visit to the beach with a walk through the dunes and you have all the ingredients for a brilliant day outdoors.
Visiting with your dog
Schoorl aan Zee falls within the Municipality of Bergen, where the rules for dogs differ from those in the Municipality of Schagen. As a general rule, dogs can be off the lead outside the summer season, while daytime restrictions apply during the busier summer months.
Different rules also apply in parts of the Schoorlse Duinen, so it’s worth checking both the latest beach regulations from the Municipality of Bergen and the signs at the dune entrances before you set off.