Streekpad Westfriese Omringdijk

Walk 150 km along the historic West Frisian Ring Dyke (SP9) past Hoorn, Alkmaar, Medemblik, and Enkhuizen. Divided into 8 daily stages, marked yellow and red.

150 km of history under your feet

The Westfriese Omringdijk (SP 9) is one of the most special walking routes in North Holland. You walk a complete circle around the historic region of West Friesland: from Hoorn past Alkmaar, Schagen, Medemblik, and Enkhuizen, and then back to Hoorn. Along the way, you see the landscape that has been shaped over centuries by man's struggle against the water.

Directions

You start in the historic port city of Hoorn and soon follow the IJsselmeer dike, where the wide waters of the Markermeer stretch out beside you. You smell the wind, salty and fresh. You walk through a mosaic of polders, ditches, and narrow strips of land — a landscape shaped by human hands for over a thousand years. Along the Kolhornerdiep and the Groet Canal, the dikes continue to the Kolk van Dussen, where meadow birds skim above the reeds and old clay pits surface.

Near Medemblik, the oldest city in West Friesland, you pass the striking Radboud Castle, which stands right on the IJsselmeer. You feel the history with every step. Towards Enkhuizen, the landscape opens up again: vast, quiet, and impressive. The final stages take you via Wijdenes back to the starting point, Hoorn. Sometimes you walk on the dike itself, sometimes beside it, and sometimes the path winds through polders and nature reserves bordering the dike.

Highlights along the way

1. Hoorn — Atmospheric starting point with a beautiful historic city center and inner harbor as the entrance to the route.
2. Radboud Castle in Medemblik — One of the best-preserved medieval castles in the Netherlands, situated directly on the IJsselmeer.
3. Kolk van Dussen — Old clay pits with a rich meadow bird experience; in spring, it buzzes with life above the reeds.
4. Enkhuizen — Charming Zuiderzee town with a historic harbor, the Zuiderzee Museum, and views over the IJsselmeer.
5. Mijzen Polder near Ursem — An irregular mosaic of ditches and smalllands that reveals the oldest dike-building history of West Friesland.

Background story

More than 1,200 years ago, West Friesland was a peat bog above sea level. The first pioneers removed their soil and dug ditches to drain the excess water. This is how small dikes and embankments came into existence. Around 1250, all those dikes together formed one continuous whole: the West Frisian Ring Dike. An impressive example of human ingenuity and perseverance, which you only truly understand by walking along it.

Tips and practical information

1. Length: approx. 150 km total, divided into 8 daily stages of 13 to 24 km
2. Signage: marked yellow and red, walkable in both directions
3. HHNK app: Also download the HHNK app . This app brings the traces of the battle against the water to life at 25 locations along the way.
4. Route changes: always check the current route line on wandelnet.nl ; the route may differ from the printed guide.
5. Accessibility by public transport: The starting point Hoorn is easily accessible by train (NS Intercity from Amsterdam and The Hague). Alkmaar, Medemblik (via Hoorn by steam tram), and Enkhuizen are also accessible by train — ideal for walking individual stages.
6. Dogs: allowed, please take into account the breeding season (March–July) along dikes and reed beds
7. Walking guide: the walking guide is available via the Wandelnet webshop .
8. Accessibility: the route is not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers due to dike paths and unpaved terrain.

The Westfriese Omringdijk is a walking lesson in North Holland history: from medieval peat bog to modern polder, with castles, old towns, and one of the longest dikes in the Netherlands as a backdrop. Walk along the Westfriese Omringdijk .

Also view the Westfriese Omringdijk Regional Trail in pictures. Watch videos .