This route runs from Paal 9, through nature reserve De Geul, past the Bunker at Loodsmansduin, back via the Hors and the beach.

Tip from Anne-Marie Kortenhoeven

Anne-Marie works at VVV Texel on Travelbase, the online reservation system and automation. In her spare time, she likes to walk and walks a lot. "My goal is 10,000 steps a day," she says. Hiking through the pristine nature of De Hors and around the Horsmeertjes is the ultimate hiking tip as far as she is concerned.

Description of route De Hors

• Length: 10.2 km

• Accessible: all year round

• Pram and wheelchair: not suitable

• Dogs: permitted on a lead

Starting point of my walk was at the car park at Paal 9, you can also start from Camping Loodsmansduin, or at the Horsmeertjes.

Large grazers

Left at the back of the car park, the route starts into the dunes, you go through a swing gate, this indicates it is a grazing area, and follow the shell path and keep left at the 1st fork. The dune area is home to Black Angus cattle. They are not human-shy and remain calm as you walk past. Then follow the path to the bunker on top of the dune. It is one of over 500 bunkers constructed on Texel during World War II. From the bunker, you have a beautiful view of the dune area, the North Sea and, on the island side, Den Hoorn.

Campsite

Follow the path down and through the gate onto the road and turn right towards the Loodsmansduin campsite. You can follow the path across the campsite, keep right until the exit to the naturist area where you turn left and at the toilet building near field Merel cross the field to a path that leads to the Drijverspad. Take that path to the left and go through the swing gate onto the narrow dune path. Just before the end of the path is an exit across the dune, indicated by a yellow marker post. You now emerge on the Mokweg just before the forester's house.

Horsmeertjes

Opposite the forester's house, take the mudflat hiking path, this is indicated by a pole with a red/yellow plate. Follow the path under the dune along the Mokbaai. The path ends at the Horsmeertjes parking strip. Cross the road and enter the path between the Horsmeertjes, this path is paved until past the lakes. At the beginning and end of the asphalt path is another viewpoint on the dune to look out over the Horsmeertjes.

The Hors

At the end, go left over the dune and follow the path between the dunes until you reach De Hors. Sandbar De Hors is unique. It was created because 'walking sand plants' fused with Texel. On the vast beach, nature has free rein and new dunes are formed. Nature here is unspoilt and rugged. You can really clear your head. There you turn right and walk in a westerly direction along the edge of the dunes, eventually arriving at the North Sea beach and walking along the beach until you reach Paal 9. Here you cross the barrier and return to the starting point.

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