Haamstede Castle - Haamstede

Haamstede Castle is not only a beautiful castle, but in addition to the castle forest bordering the castle, the Zeepeduinen nature reserve also belongs to the estate. The Zeepeduinen have an enormous wealth of flora and fauna. In the varied dune area you will encounter moist dune valleys, open sandy plains and closed areas with trees and shrubs, and you can hear the curlew and the tree lark sing. To keep the area partly open, a herd of about a hundred Shetland ponies graze in the wild. The castle grove is worth a visit for the hyacinths, daffodils and snowdrops that bloom in late winter, followed by the bright yellow celandine in spring. The tawny owl and golden oriole breed here, as do about thirty bird species. Sometimes you see deer or fallow deer passing by. The castle can be admired from the outside, inside it is only open during Heritage Days and activities. The oldest part is a 13th-century defense tower (donjon), which survived a fire during a party at the castle in 1525. In the 16th century, the complex was restored and got two new towers.

The photo was taken for Natuurmonumenten by Rob Doolaard.