Coepelduynen, protected area in Kingdom of the Netherlands (N2k-96)
Coepelduynen is a protected natural area between Katwijk and Noordwijk made up of a strip of coastal dunes. The landscape features varying heights with open sand hills, valleys such as Guytendel and Spijkerdel, and a mix of grassland and low vegetation shaped by wind and sand movement that continues to evolve.
The area formed through natural sand movement processes and was shaped by human activities for centuries, beginning with potato cultivation and livestock grazing that created open spaces. Since its designation as a Natura 2000 site, valleys have been excavated and groundwater levels restored to re-establish calcium-rich grasslands and rare plants.
The Coepelduynen takes its name from the typical dune landscape where sand and wind create a slowly changing setting. Centuries of human use, from potato cultivation to livestock herding, shaped an alternating pattern of grassland, shrubs and open sand areas that visitors can still observe today.
The area is accessible outside the breeding season for walking and cycling on marked trails through the dunes. The flat terrain allows easy movement, but visitors should note that bird breeding season brings restrictions and the ground conditions vary with the season and weather.
The site hosts special orchid species such as Dog's orchid that prefer the wet valleys like Guytendel, where rare insects and birds flourish. This combination of calcium-rich grasslands and damp valleys emerged from recent restoration work and makes the place a refuge for species adapted to this habitat.
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