Nature reserve De IJzermonding
Ijzermonding

Nieuwpoort’s pretty nature reserve out in the dunes. Discover wildlife and get a breath of fresh air on the coast.

Stretch those legs outside the city. Say goodbye to the coastal tourists and make your way over to Nieuwpoort’s dunes and salt marshes. Ijzermonding isn’t super well-known so you can easily have a quiet, relaxing stroll. See birds, sheep and other wildlife along the trek. Bring along your camera to snap up pics of the photogenic sandy dunes.

Maps of the nature reserve in English, Dutch and French are available for free here. The nature reserve isn’t very big and easily walkable for trekkers of all ages and experience levels.

Wildlife: no nature reserve would be complete without its wildlife. At Ijzermonding, it’s easiest to see birds. There’s some bird huts to help you get a good viewing. Keep your eyes peeled for the grazing, fluffy sheep. If you’re lucky, you might just see some relaxing seals in the sand too.

13 km walk

Want a longer trek? Try out this 13 km walk featuring the nature reserve.

The walk starts outside of Nieuwpoort over on Portiekenlaan 2 in Westende-Bad. The 13km walk starts in the city centre, so you’ll see plenty of pretty coastal architecture like the Belle Epoque villas on this round trip.

After leaving the city, you’ll see great views of the Belgium coast, beaches and dunes. But that’s not all. Towards the end of the trek, you’ll even find a WWII observation bunker. Gotta love the variety.

The 13km walk is mapped out here with extra info (in Dutch) on the highlights you’ll see along the way.