THE TENNER FROM WATERNET

2 - 3 HRS | 10 KM | 40 M | ORANJEKOM/OASE [ROUND TRIP]

Het tientje van Waternet is one of the many walks set out in the Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen. During this walk you will discover the north-eastern part of the dune area and you will start from the entrance oranjeduin/oase just outside Heemstede-Aerdenhout. The ten-kilometre walk is full of variety, taking you through dense forests and open plains, past water features and enjoying views from high dunes. But there is still enough reason to come back after the walk, because the dune area covers some 3400 hectares. An area that extends from Zandvoort in the north to Noordwijk in the south.

Please note! For access to the Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen you need an admission ticket. A day ticket worth € 1.50 can be purchased in advance via the website or at the ticket machine at the gate. Due to the size of the area, it is characterised by a great variety of landscapes and is therefore ideal for runners or walkers. However, you cannot go there with your dog as they are not allowed in the area, nor are bicycles or other vehicles. The area is open between sunrise and sunset so you can experience these beautiful moments of the day perfectly while walking in the area.

Waternet?!

Perhaps the name of the hike already gives it away but the length of this tour is exactly 10km. It is not a very easy route because a large part of it leads you over adventurous paths and through the sometimes loose sand of the dunes. But this is the best way to discover the dune area. At some points, the paths become less obvious and you really need your GPS to find your way. In return, however, you will get beautiful views!

From the gate at the entrance of the area, you follow the plank path right through the forest, which brings you to the visitors’ centre of the Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen, an industrial building by the water. The area is still in use as a water catchment area managed by the Amsterdam water company Waternet. Water has been extracted from these dunes for Amsterdam and the surrounding area since 1853, making it the oldest water extraction area in the country.

In search for Fallow deers

Anyone going for a walk through the Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen is almost guaranteed to come across fallow deers. These animals are used to the presence of hikers and are therefore quite tame. You cross the water via a narrow bridge just after the visitor centre, after which a sandy path takes you past the remains of bunkers from the Museum Dune. With a bit of luck, there are some deer wandering around here. You follow the winding path between the water and the edge of the forest, after which a climb to the highest dune tops awaits you. From here, you have a wonderful view of the dune landscape that reaches as far as Zandvoort.

Airplane monument

After enjoying this wide view, you descend the dune and cross the canal. Here you come across a cobbled road which you follow until you reach the Airplane monument, a memorial stone in memory of the bomber who crashed here in 1945. At this monument, you turn right into the forest that soon ends up on a sandy plain, which again gives a totally different picture of the dune landscape. A little further on you cross the water over a narrow bridge and continue the route along the water.

When you reach a fence, you step over it and stroll across Rolvers Island, where the Rolvers family farmed in the first half of the 20th century. It used to be called ‘t Weiland van Rolvers until it was surrounded by water and the name was changed. At the end of the island you step over the fence again and walk over the dam via the playground back to the Oranjekom/Oasis entrance.

For more details and planning tips, check out the Komoot route below or the official route information and maps available here.