The Schoorlse Duinen — the dune landscape north of Bergen stretching towards Schoorl — includes the highest dunes in the Netherlands, rising to just under 55 metres. That may not sound dramatic, but the scale is surprising in a country famous for its flatness: the ridges look genuinely imposing from below, and the views from the top over the North Sea and the low polder landscape inland are fine.
The dunes are protected as a nature reserve and threaded with walking and cycling routes. The terrain is varied — open sandy ridges, sheltered valleys with birch and pine, and wetland areas in the dune slacks. In spring, the valleys bloom with wildflowers. Mountain biking is permitted on designated trails. Good maps are available at the Bergen tourist office or at the Schoorl dune visitor centre.