Desert by the Sea

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11.9 km • De Panne

official route

1.9617 0 0/5

11.9 km

route offered by

Sven Nijs

Icon starting point Addresse starting point (approximate)

Oosthoekduinen, Olmendreef, 8660 De Panne, Belgium

Icon type signage of route signage

The route is fully signposted with nodes.

Icon description route Description

This is a true sea walk: those who love sand, sea, and dunes will not find a more suitable backdrop in Belgium than this hiking trail. Keep in mind that you will be walking approximately 7 km through dune sand.

The walk first leads you through the Calmeyn forest, a 66 ha large dune forest. After 1.5 km of walking, you enter the Westhoek nature reserve. This 340 ha large nature area is a real gem. It is the only dune area on the Flemish coast where almost all dune vegetations are represented in one contiguous area. Enjoy especially the silence you can still observe here.

Between node 1 and 4, you really feel like you are in the desert at certain places. This part was formerly not without reason called 'the Sahara of De Panne'. After 6 km of walking, you arrive at the border with France. Between node 3 and 59, you walk on the border until you reach the coastline. From the desert straight into the water. Wonderful, isn't it?

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