The former Zuiderzee was cut off from the North Sea to form the Ijsselmeer, and a huge area of land was created opposite the harbour town of Harderwijk by diking and pumping. A narrow strip of water remained between the old and new land. The Veluwemeer is only noticeably deep in the shipping channel, otherwise you can stand almost anywhere.
Travelling to Lake Veluwe
The area is particularly easy to reach for surfers from the west of Germany via the Dutch A1 and A28 motorways. The journey from Cologne takes around two and a half hours, from the Ruhr area a little less. While the other shore is only a few hundred metres away in some places, elsewhere large expanses of water offer enough space for everyone. Over a length of around 20 kilometres, several attractive spots are lined up here.
Wind & Weather
As almost everywhere in Northern Europe, low-pressure areas provide the best wind here too. South-westerly and north-easterly winds come sideshore at most spots, and all other westerly directions also work well. East winds, on the other hand, are offshore at most spots and usually somewhat gusty due to the wind cover. In this case, a tour via the road connection near Harderwijk makes sense - because on Flevoland it is then logically blowing onshore.
Because the shallow water quickly adapts to the air temperature, the water temperatures are often noticeably more pleasant in spring than in the open sea. However, it also gets cooler more quickly in autumn. But Lake Veluwe is also worth a trip in winter, as there is no risk of long swims in the large standing areas at the water start. In waist-deep water, you can simply climb on board and off you go!
Veluwemeer - the best windsurfing spots
The most famous spot in the region isHorst beachsouth of Harderwijk. Here you will find everything your heart desires: car parks, fluffy meadows for rigging, an almost endless standing area, plus a surf school, shop, hire, showers, toilets and even a hostel. Strand Horst works in almost any wind direction, only when it blows from the east does the wind get a bit gusty.
If Strand Horst is too crowded for you, simply drive a little further south on the A28 motorway to the exitNulde beach. There is a campsite right on the water (and right next to the motorway), but the standing area is a little narrower. Kiting is prohibited in Nulde, which sometimes makes it more relaxed for intermediates. Conditions are best when the wind is blowing from the south-west, then it can get a bit choppy in the fairway.
To the north of HarderwijkBad Hoophuizen Similar conditions to Horst beach: relaxed entrance with car park and surf school as well as a very large standing area. As everywhere else, you won't be happy with long fins close to the shore. Two campsites in the immediate vicinity offer the best entry points, where you can get on the board straight from your bed.
On Flevoland, the spotBremerbergse Hoek Here too, the water sports centre with surf school, SUP hire and relaxed access leaves nothing to be desired. Due to the gently curving coastline, the south-westerly wind here is almost onshore. There is also a campsite right by the spot. A little further towards Harderwijk, Molecaten Park also offers cabins for non-camping enthusiasts - however, the standing area here is significantly smaller than at the other spots due to the fairway.
In addition to the Veluwemeer, the Gooimeer, a section further east towards Amsterdam, offers similarly pleasant and relaxed conditions. Here it is mainly the spotsAlmere Haven andHuizenthat we can recommend to you!
And in a calm?
The old town of Harderwijk offers enough entertainment to spend a windless day. The dolphinarium, which can be seen from afar, is a dubious attraction in terms of karma, but there is also plenty to see elsewhere.
A trip to Lelystad is also exciting: the planned city on Flevoland was designed from the ground up in the 1970s so that cyclists and car traffic could flow separately. However, Lelystad was never able to fulfil its intended role as a regional centre, as the city of Almere, which was also artificially created, is much better connected. Nevertheless, several museums, including one on the formation of the polders, are well worth a visit.
