Voornes Duin

Voornes Duin lies on the island of Voorne at the mouth of the Rhine and is unusual among Dutch dunes for being young and lime-rich - the sand here was deposited relatively recently and carries a high shell content, which produces a soil chemistry that supports an exceptional range of plants: several hundred species, including large numbers of orchids, and a thicket vegetation of sea buckthorn, privet and hawthorn far denser than the grey dunes further north. Two large dune lakes, the Breede Water and the Quackjeswater, hold breeding cormorants, spoonbills and herons. The reserve is small, around fourteen hundred hectares, and heavily studied. Parts require a permit. Immediately north lies the Maasvlakte, the container port extension, so the reserve sits directly against one of the largest industrial complexes in Europe, which is visible from the dune tops.

What you actually see

• Lime-rich young dunes - high shell content producing a rare soil chemistry.
• Several hundred plant species - including large orchid populations.
• Two dune lakes - Breede Water and Quackjeswater, with breeding colonies.
• The port on the horizon - the Maasvlakte terminals visible from the dune tops.

When to go

April to July. Half a day.

Honest expectations

Parts of the reserve are permit-only and closed in the breeding season. It is small - half a day covers it. The industrial skyline is close and visible. Ticks are common in the thicket.

Nearby

Oostvoorne beach is west; the Maasvlakte and Europoort are north.