Between city and beach, Sea and the City

The Sea and the City cottage is really a place where you check out from all the obligations of everyday life. It is fully equipped. In the morning, you wake up on a luxurious box spring and step directly under the rain shower. When the weather is nice, you can open the French doors to your own terrace and enjoy your first cup of coffee in the morning sun.

Everything has been thought of in this fine accommodation. In the kitchen you will find a small two-burner cooker and in the living room a pile of magazines and books. Prefer watching a film on the smart TV or listening to your favourite music? Even that is possible!

Feel like going out? Two bicycles are available for rent to explore the surroundings. But even without a bike, you can be in Haarlem city centre within 10 minutes. Here you will find plenty of nice places to eat, such as Pip Deli, Maita, Cafe Colette and By Lima. At By Lima, they work with home-grown ingredients or local suppliers as much as possible. With a focus on healthy food and sustainability, you will enjoy a delicious all-day breakfast. And how about a day of second-hand shopping in Haarlem? The owner of Sea and the City Roos can give you tips on the best shops.

I mainly used the cottage as a base for hiking. In fact, there are many hiking areas within easy reach of Sea and the City in Overveen, such as National Park South Kennemerland. Here you can follow various walks. From short 1.5-kilometre walks, to longer walks of 15 kilometres. Just be careful, because dogs are not welcome in the National Park, not even on a leash.

As I set off just before sunset, I started from the car park at the Duin en Kruidberg entrance. A total of four walking routes start here. Given the limited time, I opted for the yellow walking route and this turned out to be the perfect choice. Already after 10 minutes of walking I encountered the first deer, unfortunately I was not able to take a photo of this. But the memory I will definitely take home with me. This is an easy walk, though 75% unpaved. The walk takes you through the dune forest, and what a beautiful forest this really is. Definitely worth a visit.

Just 10 minutes from Sea and the City you will find the beautiful Elswout Estate. A city park, where you feel completely surrounded by nature. Despite the fact that Haarlem is just around the corner. Here you can take two walks, but you can also stroll by yourself along all the paths this estate has to offer.

I chose the 4-kilometre red walk, which sends you past the highlights of Elswout. So I walked, at a distance, past the pretty little chapel you find in the middle of these woods. Here, of course, I had to stop for a moment, because what a spectacle! This must be even more beautiful when autumn shows its autumn colours. Furthermore, you find many wooden bridges here and on this route you even cross from one part of the estate to another at great heights. The pretty little bridges and the old buildings in the middle of this beautiful forest are definitely worth a visit.

An area that has long been on my wish list to visit was the Amsterdam Water Supply Dunes. And let this area be just 20 minutes away from Sea and the City. So I couldn't pass up this opportunity, after my morning walk in Elswout, I headed for the Amsterdam Water Supply Dunes.

I chose the northernmost entrance to the area, where you pay €1.50 entrance fee and €2 parking fee for a whole day. From the entrance at Oranjekom/Oase, I followed the yellow route that takes you through the northern part of the area, which is a 3.7-kilometre walk. Since I combined this walk with the walk in Elswout, I opted for a slightly shorter route. But the Amsterdam Water Supply Dunes offer many routes ranging from 3.7 kilometres to 9.1 kilometres.

The walk did not disappoint, within just 10 minutes of walking I was face to face with beautiful deer. After watching them for a while from a distance, I continued on my way and soon came across the next group of deer. During the walk, I kept encountering groups of deer each time. How beautiful this was. As this was the first time I visited this area, I found it special to be able to see so many deer so close up. Really truly amazing to experience.