The Geversduin Route is a five-kilometer forest walk through the North Holland Dune Reserve, between Castricum and Heemskerk. The route is ideal for lovers of forest walks and leads through deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests, interspersed with open dunes.
A starting point with history
The starting point of the Geversduin Route is located at the Geversduin car park, along the Beverwijker Straatweg between Heemskerk and Castricum, at the entrance to Kennemer Duincamping Geversduin. The name Geversduin refers to this campsite, which has existed for more than a century and was the first campsite in the province. Since its founding in 1914, multiple generations have spent their holidays there.
From coppice to forest
The forests along the route were originally planted for the production of oak coppice. They are now about 150 years old and richly overgrown with an undergrowth of herbs and honeysuckle. In the summer, the nightingale sings here, and along the way you will also encounter larch, woodpeckers, and spruces. The route is located in the North Holland Dune Reserve, one of the largest nature reserves in the Netherlands, stretching from the grounds near Wijk aan Zee to the Schoorl Dunes.
Marking and access
The route is marked with blue triangles and was included in the Wandelnetwerk Noord-Holland in 2015. A PWN dune pass is required for access to the Noordhollands Duinreservaat, available for purchase at all visitor centers and online. Dogs are welcome but must always be kept on a leash. The area is also a quiet zone, where the dunes not only protect the hinterland from the sea but also play an important role in drinking water extraction.
