OUR TO DO TIPS
Because there is so much to do around here and it’s gorgeous!
On the beach
♥ Walk on the beach and collect shells
Stroll along the beach and don’t think about anything for a while, just enjoy. Shoes on, or off, and go!
♥ Beach expedition with Gjalt
Gjalt takes you on a beach expedition called ‘Korren’. ‘Korren’ is dragging a net in the water and that is what you are going to do. Your finds, the treasures, will be explored together. Great fun for young and old. Read more here…
♥ Shop Zoomers
In our beach shop you can buy the HKliving items that you also find in the rooms. Also, you can find the nicest gifts for yourself or your loved ones. There is also a food boutique with all kinds of goodies to go.
♥ Yoga lesson by the sea
Anita gives yoga lessons by the sea. A great start or end to your day. Read more here…
In and around Castricum
♥ House of Hilde (see photo)
A real archaeological museum that was even nominated for the European Museum of the Year Award in 2017. Read more here…
♥ Hof van Kijk-Uit
A forest café and workshop with daytime activities for people with disabilities. Read more here…
♥ Picking Garden
Here you can pick your own flowers and make a beautiful bouquet. Read more here…
♥ Petting zoo ‘t Dierenduintje
Cosy petting zoo run by volunteers. Read more here…
♥ Regional market Bakkum
Every Wednesday there is a nice market with all kinds of organic local products. Read more here…
The Hoep
De Hoep Visitor Centre in Castricum (see photo on the left) is an educational centre with changing, interactive exhibitions. Fun for children and informative for adults. You will learn everything there is to know about water purification and the North Holland dunes.
In addition, numerous activities are organised from this centre. For example, the tour of the dune magician, the assistant forester, garden tours, and consciousness walks.
♥ Vlonderpad | Nature ice rink (see photo)
From De Hoep garden, you can walk to the Vlonderpad. This is a great place for a walk. Take a rug, a basket or bag of goodies and find a nice spot. Oh, and in winter it is a natural ice rink, how special! Read more here…
And for the little ones:
♥ Play Forest
If you walk into the woods on your right from Johanna’s Hof, you will find a wonderful place to build huts and use your imagination. Read more here…
♥ Hoep gnome path
From De Hoep garden, there is a real gnome’s path (2km). Children get a route description and a backpack full of exciting assignments and materials. A real experience for the children. Read more here…
Dijk & Duin Estate
This historical estate used to be an asylum and is nice for a walk. Here, you will find national monuments such as the white church and the water tower, as well as beautiful houses and lots of greenery. Especially nice:
♥ De Oude Keuken
A nice restaurant where they let people with a distance to the labour market gain work experience.
♥ Bak’m
This bakery bakes delicious bread, biscuits and cakes using natural, organic and as much local ingredients as possible. Bak’m also works with people who are doing daycare or an internship. Our personal favourite here is the oatcake!
♥ Second hand plant shop
This shop is run by people from care institution Dijk en Duin and has plants and other fun second hand products for sale.
NORTH HOLLANDS DUNE RESERVE
The North Holland Dune Reserve (NHD) is one of the largest nature reserves in our country. It stretches from Wijk aan Zee to the Schoorl Dunes. This makes it about 20 km long and 2.5 km wide, with a surface area of 5300 hectares. The dunes at Castricum and Heemskerk have traditionally been used to produce drinking water for North Holland.
Here life is green. You find true peace, in your head and around you. around you. You experience touching, beautiful little things. Like a genuine greeting during a walk through the rich dune landscape.
♥ Hiking trails
There are almost 50 marked walking routes through our dune areas. The ideal way to get to know the Noord-Hollands Dune Reserve. The shortest route is 2 kilometres and the longest 17 kilometres, so there is something for everyone. Read more here…
♥ Around the carp-pond | Dune lake
Beautiful walking route around the dune lake. Read more here…
♥ Cycling around the infiltration area
Cycle through the dunes to the water infiltration area – North Holland’s drinking water supply. Read more here…
♥ Papenberg watchtower (see photo)
The lookout tower offers a great view! There are two viewing directions: to the east you have a view on Castricum and to the west you have a view on the dunes and sea. The compasses on both sides point to various reference points in the area, such as Heemskerk, Uitgeest and Egmond aan Zee. Read more here…
♥ On adventure with forester Evert Jan Woudsma
Evert Jan lets you experience nature as only a (former) forester can. Fun for young and old. Oh, he also has a nice instagram page, so be sure to follow him! Read more here…
A bit further out?
♥ Oerij Foundation
Enjoy a walking or cycling expedition through the countryside around Uitgeest, Castricum and Heemskerk. Read more here…
♥ Alpaca eco farm
The name says it all: on this farm you can do lots of things with alpacas. They work with day care and volunteers and do everything in a sustainable way. Read more here…
Even further out?
♥ Rent a boat
Uitgeest and Akersloot are a gateway to the Uitgeester lake and Alkmaarder lake. You can hire a canoe or boat here to explore the area. You can then moor at one of the marinas for a snack. Read more here…
♥ Are you looking for more hustle and bustle?
Alkmaar, Haarlem and Amsterdam are just a stone’s throw away.
On the Current Agenda you can see what fun things are being organized in the municipality of Castricum next week / month.
If you consciously try to take time for everything you do,
you will find that you feel more peace in your life.
Don’t you wish that for yourself? We do! ♥
Oh, and would you rather have all the tips in one place? Click HERE for your download!
