Water Sports in Zandvoort ... and Northumberland!

Windsurfing, kitesurfing and water sports in general are a big attraction for visitors to Zandvoort. People come from all over Europe to enjoy what the sea has to offer on this part of the Dutch coastline.

One of the most well known and celebrated kitesurfers is Aaron Hadlow who is British. I don't know if he's ever been to Zandvoort but coming from an island of course he has plenty of coastline for water sports almost in his back yard - so it's no surprise that Britain should produce a world kitesurfing champion!

There are many water sports centres on the coast of Britain - for example I know of one on the Northumberland coastline in a small village which you've probably never heard of called Beadnell. Beadnell used to be a busy fishing port but times have changed - just like in Zandvoort - and today Beadnell is more well known for its clear and sparkling water as well as miles of clean, sandy beaches which makes it an ideal place for water sports.

On the Northumberland coast there is plenty of other outdoor fun - fishing, riding, walking, golf, birdwatching. There are also many historic places including Alnwick Castle (Hogwart's Castle as some call it because it was used in the Harry Potter films). The most spectacular castles are on the coast however - Bamburgh Castle and Dunstanburgh Castle.

If you ever visit Northumberland and you want a self catering holiday cottage, there are some super Northumberland cottages especially along or near to the coast.

Here are 2 really nice places we heard about, both in Beadnell and both with Enjoy England 4 Star Awards:

Cloggy Nook - Beadnell holiday cottage
East Cuttles - Beadnell holiday cottage (photo)

Zandvoort's The Place For Kitesurfers!

When the weather conditions are right, kitesurfing in Zandvoort can be fabulous to watch. At any given time there might be 20 or 30 kitesurfers all out there together.

Here is a photo we took in 2009 showing lots of kitesurfers in Zandvoort


Here is another photo of one of the great aerial jumps that you sometimes get to see ....

Kitesurfing Lessons

Watching kitesurfers is fascinating and you can get absorbed for hours as they test themselves over and over against the conditions, doing jumps and stunts. Just as interesting is watching someone have a kitesurfing lesson.

At the very beginning they might just be asked to get used to the feel of a small kite using a harness and the bar with the lines attached.

Later when they take to the water they will have their kitesurfing teacher close by. Here is a great example of that - Okke Engel with one of his students on Zandvoort beach just after finishing a kitesurfing lesson.

Okke has his own kitesurfing school in Zandvoort.

Kitesurfing & Walking The Kite

One of the most popular pastimes in Zandvoort is kitesurfing. We started covering this topic in our Zandvoort Blog a while ago when we did our first post about kitesurfing in Zandvoort.

Classed as an 'extreme sport' it attracts many kitesurfers to the Zandvoort beach every year. We always enjoy watching them and this summer we took more photos than usual, even filming a kitesurfing teacher Okke Engel (photographed below walking his kite after a long kitesurfing session). You can watch Okke showing how it's done in our kitesurfing video.

Below is an interesting picture of a girl who was learning to kitesurf last summer - she was able to kitesurf downwind (towards the north beach) but had not yet learned how to sail into the wind and return back southwards. So every time she went as far north as she could within the kitesurfing zone, she had to come in to shore and walk her kite back up.


Kitesurfers always keep a keen eye on the weather and with Zandvoort weather you have to know what you are doing. The winds can be very strong and the weather sometimes unpredictable. Understanding the weather conditions is crucial to safe kitesurfing.

Read more about kitesurfing - check out the some kitesurfing FAQs (kindly written for us by Okke Engel).

Here is a list of kitesurfing locations around the world.

Zandvoort Kitesurfing Interview

It's not often you get to talk to an expert kitesurfer - they are usually too busy out on the water!

As mentioned in our previous Kitesurfing In Zandvoort post, one of the regular Zandvoort kitesurfers Okke Engel gave us an interview this summer. He had just finished a session kitesurfing in Zandvoort when we caught up with him over a cup of coffee and chatted about what life is like in the 'fast lane' of this extreme sport.


In the interview he describes the all important weather conditions on the day, tells us a little about his background (he started windsurfing at the age of 12) and how he is now running his own kitesurfing school.

Watch the whole kitesurfing interview with Okke exclusively made for zandvoort-holland.com

Photo: Okke with a kitesurfing student on Zandvoort beach

Kitesurfing In Zandvoort

Zandvoort is a great place for water sports and especially for kitesurfing or kiteboarding as some people call it. One of the fastest growing extreme sports in the world, kitesurfing is great not just for the participants but also spectators.

In Zandvoort this summer we got to know a local kitesurfer called Okke Engel who shared with us some detailed information about kitesurfing in Zandvoort including kitesurfing zones in Zandvoort and kitesurfing FAQ.

When you read the FAQ you begin to realise just how much there is to the sport of kitesurfing - everything from what makes it dangerous to having the right equipment, having the right training through to the importance of understanding tides and wind direction.

Pictured: Okke Engel jusf finishing a kitesurfing session

A Fabulous Beach Sandwich - Only In Zandvoort!

One of the nicest things to do on a sunny day in Zandvoort is to eat at a beach cafe. There are lots of great cafes on Zandvoort beach, offering a friendly atmosphere and some great food.

Here is a favourite amongst our family - a sandwich of mozzarella cheese, fresh basil and sliced tomatoes with pesto. Delicious!


Made by Patrick at cafe Paal 69 - not only a great chef but a kitesurfing expert too.

The Zandvoort Holland Blog

Welcome to the Zandvoort Holland Blog! If you have ever been to Zandvoort you will know what a special place it is and if you have not been there, well we have the website that can tell you all about it - http://www.zandvoort-holland.com/.

Here are just a few of the features on our website:

• Zandvoort's history - from the 14th century up to the modern Zandvoort of today
• Zandvoort beach - 9 km of west-facing beach featuring fabulous beach pavilions
• Zandvoort kitesurfing - Zandvoort's location is ideal for this extreme water sport
• Zandvoort sailing club (Watersportvereniging Zandvoort)
• Zandvoort accommodation - hotels, apartments, pensions (bed & breakfast)
• Zandvoort restaurants - including Dutch, Indonesian, Greek, Italian & Thai cuisine
• Zandvoort shopping - fashionwear, handmade chocolate goods, antiques & more
• Zandvoort weather - an everyday topic of conversation for both locals and visitors
• Zandvoort sunsets - our own photo gallery of seascapes at sunset

We have been enjoying trips to Zandvoort since 1981, have made many friends there and had some wonderful times. Through zandvoort-holland.com we hope to bring you all that's best about Zandvoort. Our Zandvoort Blog will keep you up to date with the latest developments on the site, new photographs, video and general news. So please bookmark and come back soon!