Tranquility between dunes and dykes along the Zeeland coast in winter

By Bernd F Meier Dec 27, 2011, 3:06 GMT

Burgh-Haamstede, the Netherlands - It's very much low season between December and April in the much-loved seaside resorts along the Zeeland coast in the Netherlands but the tranquility on offer attracts a different kind of tourist.

After climbing over a sand dune, the group have wandered just a few steps before coming across a herd of Shetland ponies in their fluffy winter coats.

'Around 100 Shetland ponies live out here in the wild all year round,' explains forestry worker Ted Sluijter, who along with his colleagues from the Foundation for Natural Monuments, leads organized tours of the Zeepe dunes in a nature reserve near Burgh-Haamstede.

'These hardy four-legged animals make sure that the sand dunes are maintained by keeping the trees back.'

Members of the general public have had access to the raw landscape of the Zeepe dunes since 1995. Together with the neighbouring Meeuwe dunes and the 1,100-hectare spruce forest, the area makes up the largest dune region in the province of Zeeland.

The walking route to the Meeuwe dunes - known as the Meeuwenduinwandeling - is 12 kilometres in length and passes by dunes up to 30 metres in height.

Schouwen-Duiveland with its dunes and forested area is one of the five former islands or peninsulas of Zeeland. Because of its proximity to Germany, this region in the south-west of the Netherlands is an extremely popular summer holiday destination with tourists.

'However, it will be very quiet for us now until the first of April,' says Sonja van der Voet from the Zeeland tourist office. 'A lot of businesses and beach cafes have closed but anyone who loves exploring lonely beaches is welcome here.'

After a bracing coastal walk, winter visitors can relax with a visit to a sauna or a massage as Zeeland is developing a reputation among some tourists as a wellness resort.

Some hotels are already offering wellness packages while the province's lively capital Middelburg offers good shopping opportunities if outdoor walking activities have to be put off because of rain or fog.

Middelburg has a population of approximately 50,000 inhabitants and has a very historical past. Its heyday was in the 17th century, when the city was a base for the Dutch East India Company.

The thin 90.5-metre-high steeple of the medieval abbey is not only Middelburg's most notable landmark, it is also the tallest building in Zeeland. The abbey is now the location for the Zeeuws museum, which houses an interesting collection of old and new treasures from Zeeland's history.

Orange is the dominant colour in the Nationaal Voetbalmuseum on the outskirts of Middelburg, which honours the Dutch national soccer team.

Football fans can learn about some of the world's greatest ever footballers in the 'Gallery of the Greats' as well as finding out about the successes and failures of the Dutch national team.