Brisk winter walks, beachcombing, spectacular mountain biking, seal spotting and warming up by the fireplace with beer and bitterballen; on Texel, you get the most out of winter! We give you ten good reasons to visit Texel in winter.

1. A breath of fresh air on the beach

You can get a fantastic breath of fresh air on the quietest part of Texel. De Hors, the southern tip of Texel, is the wildest piece of nature on the island. The interaction of wind, rain and sea changes the appearance of the sandy plain almost every month.

2. Warming up by a wood-burning stove

There are many places to warm up. At Catharinahoeve on the edge of the woods they have a lovely open fireplace, but the wood-burning stove burns at the beach as well. Visit Paal 17, Paal 9, Paal 28 or Paal 33.

3. Spot the various bird species

On bird island Texel, it is a coming and going of winged visitors. The Mok Bay, the Schorren and the northern point near the lighthouse are ideal for bird watching.

4. Beer and bitterballen

Golden combination after a punishing winter walk: beer and bitterballs. Several Texel breweries brew real winter beer so you are quickly warmed up again.

5. Ice skating on natural ice

Is it freezing? You can skate on Waalenburg, for example. Or at Hoornderslag between Den Hoorn and Paal 9, where - if we have a harsh winter - the touring tour 'the 50 of Den Hoorn' is held.

6. Admire the starry sky

Winter evenings are ideal for gazing at the starry sky. Especially on Texel, one of the darkest places in the Netherlands. At popular observatory De Jager, viewing evenings are organised 'when the weather is clear'.

7. Experience the storm

When it storms, it storms spectacularly on Texel. Wind force 11, The Slufter flooding and extremely high tides in the harbour of Oudeschild: it is all part of the winter months. Afterwards, beachcombing is fantastic.

8. Go beachcombing

Talking about beachcombing: because of the sand replenishment along the coast, you have a chance of finding fossils of mammoths and rhinoceroses on Texel. They once lay at the bottom of the North Sea, now along the beach.

9. Seal watching

A group of grey seals live near the Razende Bol, a sandbank. Grey seals give birth during the cold winter months and young seals are often found along the Texel coast. Those orphaned seals are taken care of at Ecomare.

10. Mountain biking in the woods

Need to lose Christmas kilos or an oliebollen belly? Then the spectacular MTB course on Texel is a must. A tour through the dunes and (mainly) through De Dennen. The short, sharp bends and the alternation of hard surfaces with loose sand and mud make this a pretty tough route.

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