Texel is known for its expansive beach, which is ideal for anyone wanting to do a more demanding walk. In good weather, enjoy walking with your feet in the water. In the autumn months, feel the fresh breeze in your hair as you walk and end your day with a hot drink at one of the beach pavilions.

Thirty kilometres of beach

The beach on Texel is more than 30 kilometres long and can be found on the west side of the island. It starts with vast sand dunes at the southern tip of the island: De Hors. Walking northwards, you will regularly come across beach pavilions. In the summer months, swimmers and sun lovers populate part of the beach here. After leaving the coastal village of De Koog, you will pass the special De Slufter nature reserve, where a channel reaches far inland from the sea. As a result, it's impossible to walk straight across the beach at this point. In the south of the island, you will find a nudists' beach just ahead of the Hoornderslag at Pole 9. Another one can be found in the north of the island, before the Krimslag at Pole 28.

Beach poles

Beach poles have been positioned one kilometre apart across the entire length of the beach. Each pole has its own unique number: starting with Pole 6 in the south of the island and ending with Pole 33 to the very north of the island. These poles are a useful way of deciding how far you want to walk. All of the beach poles are indicated on the map of Texel (for sale in our shop).

Here are a few tips to stay warm on a winter walk

1. Walk with a tail wind
If you head into the wind, you will feel the chill more than when you have the wind behind you. And of course, it’s more fun to walk with the wind giving you a helping hand! Find out which direction the wind is blowing from before you set off and walk along the beach with the wind in your back. On the way back, you can take a more sheltered route through the dunes.

2. Wear warm clothes
Of course, you’ll be sure to wear warm clothes for a walk in the winter, but remember, layers of clothing are the warmest. Make sure the top layer of your winter outfit is a wind-proof coat and you’ll stay nice and warm the entire time you are out.

3. Hot chocolate and a log fire
Did you enjoy your walk along the Texel beach? Why not follow it up with a large mug of hot chocolate at a beach café? If you’re lucky, there might be a log fire roaring in the fireplace too!