Beach, polders and villages: the area around Groede
Dorpscamping Groede sits on the edge of the village of Groede, in western Zeeland Flanders — between the seaside resorts of Breskens and Cadzand. The beach is about 15 minutes by bike, the Waterdunen nature reserve 10 minutes, and Groede's historic village centre a 5-minute walk. Bruges and Knokke are under an hour's drive; everything in between is flat, green and easy to cycle.
Everything nearby
From the campsite
5 min
on foot
Groede village centre
10 min
by bike
Waterdunen
15 min
by bike
Groede beach
20 min
by bike
Breskens
35 min
by bike
Cadzand-Bad
40 min
by car
Bruges
To the beach
Wide sands,
never crowded
From the campsite it's about a fifteen-minute cycle to Groede beach: a wide, quiet sandy beach behind the dunes, with beach pavilion Beach House 25 for coffee or fresh fish. Even in high season you'll easily find a free spot.
Fancy a change? Nieuwvliet-Bad and the fishing town of Breskens are both around 20 minutes by bike, and Cadzand-Bad — the largest seaside resort in Zeeland Flanders — a good half hour by bike or fifteen minutes by car. Don't feel like pedalling? You can hire e-bikes right here at the campsite.
The beach is worth the ride outside summer too: bracing walks, shell hunting and miles of empty sand. And from September to May you can even ride your horse there — one of the reasons riders love this stretch of coast.
Nature & walking
Three nature reserves within cycling distance
Western Zeeland Flanders is one of the quietest stretches of coast in the Netherlands: open polders, creeks and dykes full of birds. Three areas not to miss:
Waterdunen
Tidal nature between Groede and Breskens: mudflats, salt marshes and creeks where seawater flows freely in and out. Footpaths and birdwatching points bring you close to spoonbills, avocets and other coastal birds. About 10 minutes by bike from the campsite.
Verdronken Zwarte Polder
A small but special dune area near Nieuwvliet, with a tidal inlet where the sea flows in at high tide. Lovely to combine with a beach walk towards Cadzand.
The Zwin
A cross-border nature reserve near Cadzand-Bad and Knokke, famous as an 'international airport for migratory birds'. On the Belgian side you'll find the Zwin Natuur Park visitor centre.
Walking starts right from your tent, by the way: the polder lanes and dykes around Groede lead you straight into open country, with wide views and rarely another soul on the path.
Cycling
Flat, safe and surprisingly varied
The numbered cycle-junction network starts practically at the campsite gate: string junctions together over polder dykes, along creeks and through the dunes. It's all flat, so even with children or an ordinary city bike you can get anywhere.
Classics from the campsite: follow the coast to Cadzand, or ride via Breskens and take the bike-and-foot ferry to Vlissingen — the crossing takes about 23 minutes and your bicycle needs a bicycle ticket. E-bikes can be hired from us at Het Platte Putje.
Villages & culture
From Groede Podium to Bruges
Groede itself is a day out: a protected village centre around the Grote Kerk, with café terraces on the village square and Groede Podium — a play-and-theatre village where children let off steam while you sit on the terrace. All five minutes' walk from your tent.
A little further afield: the shopping town of Sluis with the only belfry in the Netherlands, the fishing harbour of Breskens, and the shops of Oostburg a good quarter of an hour away by bike. Across the border await Knokke and the World Heritage city of Bruges — about 40 minutes by car.
Want to go further? The bike-and-foot ferry takes you from Breskens to Vlissingen in about 23 minutes, with its boulevard along the Western Scheldt — great for watching the sea ships pass close by.
For children and horses
A full day even without an outing
With children
At Het Platte Putje children won't be bored for a minute: a playground with trampoline and pedal go-karts, and every morning feeding the animals and collecting eggs with the donkeys, sheep and chickens. The beach and Groede Podium are within cycling distance.
Discover Het Platte Putje →
With your horse
Bring your own horse: the livery stable has boxes and paddocks, and from September to May you can ride on the beach. Waymarked riding routes through polders and dunes start right at the campsite.
See the livery stable →Frequently asked questions
Practical: the area
How far is the beach from the campsite?
Groede beach is about 3.5 kilometres away — roughly 15 minutes by bike or just under an hour on foot. Nieuwvliet-Bad and Breskens are around 20 minutes by bike, Cadzand-Bad a good half hour.
Can I hire e-bikes?
Yes, at the campsite itself. Handy for longer rides, for example to Cadzand-Bad, Sluis or the Zwin. Booking ahead is advisable in high season.
What is there to do when it rains?
Shopping in Sluis, the Fisheries Museum in Breskens, or a day trip to Bruges or Knokke. At the campsite itself, children enjoy the board games and the arcade machine.
How do I get to Bruges?
By car it's about 40 minutes via Sluis. Sporty cyclists take the junction network: a fine day trip of around 30 kilometres each way.
What is Waterdunen?
A tidal nature reserve between Groede and Breskens, with footpaths and birdwatching points among mudflats, salt marshes and creeks. It's about a 10-minute bike ride from the campsite.
Can my dog come to the beach?
Outside high season dogs are allowed almost everywhere on the beach. In the summer months daytime restrictions apply at the busier beach entrances; early morning and evening more is allowed. At the campsite dogs are welcome on a lead.