Wadden Island Texel

The Landscape

Texel, the largest Wadden Island in the Netherlands, is a world of its own. In just one day, you can cycle from the wild North Sea coast to the peaceful Wadden Sea dike, through a landscape that constantly changes. Vast dune areas give way to pine forests and heathlands, while polders, salt marshes, and colorful meadows stretch all the way to the horizon. The influence of the tides is felt everywhere: in the mudflats of the tidal flats, the salty grass of the salt marshes, and the thousands of birds that find their resting and breeding grounds here.

A quarter of the island is covered by the National Park Duinen van Texel. The park features a dynamic dune landscape with high dunes and wide, clean sandy beaches along the North Sea coast. Behind the dunes, forests alternate with open dune valleys, colorful heathlands, and wet dune pools. The park is popular with walkers, cyclists, and nature lovers who come here to enjoy the peace, space, and the special harmony between land and sea. Walking and cycling paths take you past quiet dune ponds, rolling sand hills, and fragrant forests. In spring and summer, the landscape is especially beautiful with blooming dune orchids adding bursts of color.