Texel is a real snowdrop island! In the early spring you can encounter snowdrops everywhere on Texel and in De Dennen (the pinewoods on Texel) in particular. But how did these spring flowers actually end up on Texel?

Texel islanders with commercial spirit

In the 1960s, Texel islanders were able to earn a good living from their trade in snowdrops. They left the island in vans, heading for France, a country where snowdrops were regarded as a type of weed. The Texel islanders were given permission to remove the snowdrop bulbs from places where snowdrops thrive best: woodland areas.

Back on Texel, the bulbs were planted in the woods, forests and along boundary tree lines, which had often been created specifically for this purpose. The commercial cultivation of snowdrops in De Dennen came to a halt quite a long time ago when the national forest service (Staatsbosbeheer) stopped leasing out parcels of woodland.

Discover snowdrops

Whether taking a walk or cycling through in early spring, you will usually encounter the snowdrops at the intersection of the Randweg with the Botgrasweg (forest path at the BBQ area). At the Waalenburgerdijkje there are usually also a lot to see at the junction with the Oude Dijkje. Snowdrops are also usually found in the Molenbos in the Cocksdorp.

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