Recreation area
“Enkhuizen offers several opportunities to get a breath of fresh air or enjoy the sun and nature. Think of the Enkhuizerzand where you can sunbathe and swim or the nearby Streekbos where a vast hiking area is located as well as a recreational lake with a beach.”
Recreational areas and beach
Enkhuizer Zand
Day recreation site Enkhuizer Zand is located directly on the IJsselmeer. The shallow water at the sandy beach makes it very suitable for children. There are sunbathing and playing fields and in the immediate vicinity you will find the indoor swimming pool Recreatiebad Enkhuizer Zand and Strandpaviljoen Enkhuizen. Next to the recreation area is Droompark Enkhuizer Strand and Sprookjeswonderland.
Het Streekbos
The Streekbos in Bovenkarspel offers many recreational opportunities. Enjoy walking or cycling through the forest area, sunbathing on the beach, rowing on the water or playing in the playground. Fun activities are organized from the Streekbos Pavilion, which also houses Volkssterrenwacht Orion, restaurant IJgenweis and IVN Westfriesland.
De Vooroever
Lazing in the sun, gazing across the water at the many sailing boats or quietly casting a fishing rod: in the vast Vooroever area you will experience the IJsselmeer at its best. You will find the Vooroever by the IJsselmeer between Andijk and Medemblik.
Recreation in Westfriesland (results list)
Recreatieschap Westfriesland
Westfriesland has much to offer in terms of landscape, nature and recreation. Not only for its own residents but also for recreationists from outside the region. Scattered through West Friesland
Blotevoetenpad Gouwe Voeten
What could be more fun than walking barefoot? Just getting back in touch with your body and with the earth. Do you know how it feels to walk on grass? Or how wooden tree trunks feel?
Swimming, hiking, biking and boating
Recreatieschap Westfriesland
Outside, enjoy greenery, nature and landscape to the fullest. On the website of Recreatieschap Westfriesland you can see where you can walk, cycle, sail and fish. The bicycle, sailing and walking networks provide interconnections between the historic cities of Hoorn, Enkhuizen and Medemblik.
Fietsen
With an extensive network of cycling routes and junctions, the Enkhuizen area is a great area to explore by bicycle. You can very easily put together your own route using the cycle junction signs along the way or via a cycling map on which all these junctions are indicated.
Varen
In and around Enkhuizen you can take beautiful boating trips. Explore Enkhuizen and the surrounding villages from the water by boat, canoe or SUP. Or go out on the IJsselmeer. You can sail on a historic sailing ship or take one of the ferry services to Stavoren, Urk or Medemblik.
Stranden in Westfriesland
Enkhuizer Zand
In Enkhuizen and its surroundings you will find several small beaches where you can sunbathe and recreate. In Enkhuizen itself you will find the Enkhuizer Zand. This beach is very suitable for children.
Streekbos
The nearby Streekbos (this is in Bovenkarspel, about 2 km from Enkhuizen) also has a recreational beach with several facilities such as a toilet, shower and a snack bar/restaurant with terrace.
Nesbos – Droge Wijmers
Located on the IJsselmeer between Medemblik and Onderdijk. Beautifully clear water, practically no surf and the water is shallow for a long time. The magnificent view over the IJsselmeer never gets boring. You can swim and (kite)surf (shell banks available) or practice other water sports. The Nesbos offers all the ingredients you need for a day of action or relaxation.
De Vooroever
Lazing in the sun, gazing across the water at the many sailing boats or quietly casting a fishing rod: in the vast Vooroever area you will experience the IJsselmeer at its best.
Vooroever Vlietsingel
Near Medemblik, on the IJsselmeer.
Water sports take center stage here. It can’t be otherwise, with the Regatta Center around the corner. You can also enjoy walking, cycling or swimming here. For a nice cup of coffee and more, visit the beach pavilion De Zoete Zee.
In 2011, Vooroever Vlietsingel expanded by about 50 acres. The area consists of grass, trees and bushes and a sandy beach that is crowded when the weather is nice.
Bird watchers can indulge in the wetlands section, consisting of a reed and rush area and a bird island.
Vooroever Koopmanspolder-Andijk
Near Andijk, on the IJsselmeer. At the southernmost tip of the Vooroever you can enjoy unique nature, a testing ground for water management and lots of recreational opportunities. You can enjoy walking and cycling here, as well as sunbathing on the sandy beach and floating on the water.
The area covers eighteen hectares and consists, in addition to grass and sandy beach, of wet and drier areas. Because of the subsoil, the vegetation differs from the other parts of the Foreshore. Marsh and water birds love it here and can be spotted in abundance.
The adjacent nature reserve is managed by the Forestry Commission. A colony of spoonbills can be found here.
Overige informatie
IVN Westfriesland
Working on a healthy environment is central to the IVN. Within this framework, all kinds of nature activities are organized for young and old.
Experience is very important here. Through playful activities, children are practiced in looking, feeling, listening and smelling. In this way they discover that sometimes what you see is not what you think you see! IVN Westfriesland also regularly organises interesting excursions for adults.
Hertenkamp Enkhuizen
Visitor Center ‘Hertenkamp Enkhuizen’ is located in the middle of the Wilhelminaplantsoen, within the fortress border of the historic town of Enkhuizen. This is a unique place in Enkhuizen, where children and adults can come into contact with all kinds of farm animals, play and discover in nature. The tea garden overlooking the deer meadow, petting zoo, nature playground and nature garden are free to visit. In addition to the free drop-in times, a variety of activities are organized throughout the year.
Streekbos Outdoor
Streekbos Outdoor organizes fun packages for the whole family. For example, you can get acquainted with nature in and around Enkhuizen with a cruise in an authentic poldership, possibly combined with a number of other activities such as coffee and cake or drinks. Besides sailing, you can also opt for a percussion workshop, foot painting, beer tasting, scooter ride, nature walk, raft building or the Blotevoetenpad Gouwe Voeten wandelen in Bovenkarspel.
Streekbos Outdoor is happy to inform you about the possibilities.
Ecoproject Streekbos
The Eco Project is a part of the Streekbos where development of nature is paramount. The two-hectare area includes a pond, a toad pool and a ditch, with area-specific and nutrient-poor water. With ecological management, more biodiversity is achieved than elsewhere in the Streekbos (created in 1980) and this is made possible in part by volunteer work.
