Holiday on Texel
Are you going to celebrate your holiday on Texel? Texel is the largest and westernmost Dutch Frisian Island. Archaeological studies suggest that the first residents lived here from approx. 8000 BC. The island’s name is usually pronounced as Tessel, the inhabitants are called Tesselaars.
Texelse Landscapes:
Texel offers a rich and varied landscape. In addition to polders, wide sandy beaches, dunes and grasslands Texel also has heathland, forest and salt marshes. Large bulb fields bloom in May near Den Hoorn. National Park Duinen van Texel manages the southern tip of Texel, the area De Duinen between Den Hoorn and De Koog, De Dennen, De Slufter and De Muy.
De Hoge Berg is located between Oudeschild and Den Burg. This low moraine was created in the penultimate Ice Age. The highest point is located 15 meters above NAP. Despite of its modest height, you can overlook the entire island from here.
Birds on Texel
Texel is popular among bird lovers. On some days, an experienced bird watcher can spot hundreds of different species. In spring 80 different bird species breed in spring, but in total about 300 species have been observed on Texel. The Muy, a dune area
between De Koog and De Slufter is a protected area; it is the nesting place of the oldest spoonbill colony of the Netherlands. Other striking bird species on Texel are the little tern and the short-eared owl.
Texel & sheep
In the 16th century and in the 17th century the Texelse sheep’s cheese was famous (worldwide) for its special taste. In addition to the normal white cheese, a special green cheese was also made. The green colour was created during a process in which sheep droppings were boiled in a muslin cloth, resulting into green juice. Today, Texel is mainly known for its duvets and the “schapenboet”, a characteristic barn with a flattened facade on the lee side that is often found in the Texelse landscape.
In addition to enjoying the varied scenic beauty, Texel offers many highlights, such as the Aviation & War Museum, a Cultural-Historical Museum and an Antiquities’ Room. People who love maritime experiences must visit Ecomare, the Maritime- and Beachcombers Museum, the remnants of medieval and Napoleonic fortresses near Oudeschild and the Eierland lighthouse which is open to public. Do you prefer active, sporty, cosy and culinary activities, you can think of the ‘Ronde om Texel’, the world’s largest catamaran sailing competition, the free pop festival Sommeltjespop, the Texel Half Marathon Running Competition, Texel Culinair and the Texel Airshow.