Brabant Partners has launched five new walking start points in the surroundings of De Loonse and Drunense Duinen, one of the most popular nature areas in the Dutch province of North Brabant. The initiative is part of a broader strategy within Van Gogh National Park to create a better balance between recreation, nature conservation, mobility and quality of life for local communities.
Developed through the WandelStarter platform, these five new walking start points encourage visitors to discover the diverse landscapes surrounding De Loonse and Drunense Duinen through a range of short, accessible walking routes. Positioned in the wider landscape around the dunes, the start points offer opportunities to explore forests, heathlands, waterside areas, agricultural landscapes and characteristic Brabant villages that many visitors might otherwise overlook.
Discovering alternative gateways to nature
De Loonse and Drunense Duinen attracts large numbers of visitors throughout the year. As one of the Netherlands’ most iconic nature destinations, the area experiences increasing recreational pressure, particularly during weekends and holiday periods.
To help address this challenge, Brabant Partners is promoting alternative starting locations in the wider area surrounding the dunes. By encouraging walkers to begin their visit from different points in the landscape, visitors are invited to explore lesser-known routes and discover new parts of the region. This approach helps distribute visitor flows more evenly while creating opportunities for a richer and more varied outdoor experience.
© Björn Snelders
The new routes range from short local walks to trails of nearly ten kilometres, offering visitors the opportunity to enjoy a variety of landscapes close to De Loonse and Drunense Duinen. Whether passing through tranquil waterside environments, rural farmland, wooded areas or village edges, the routes provide attractive alternatives to the busiest access points of the nature reserve.
A MONA solution for sustainable visitor management
Within MONA, Brabant Partners developed WandelStarter as a practical tool to support visitor distribution and sustainable recreation. The platform helps walkers find suitable starting locations while providing information on routes, facilities and accessibility. By making alternative destinations easier to discover, WandelStarter helps reduce pressure on vulnerable nature areas and encourages visitors to explore a wider region.
Since its launch, the platform has grown into a province-wide network featuring hundreds of walking start points across North Brabant, demonstrating how digital tools can contribute to smarter visitor management and destination stewardship.
Supporting the vision of Van Gogh National Park
The new walking start points also contribute to the ambitions of Van Gogh National Park, a unique destination that connects nature, landscape, heritage and sustainable development in the birthplace of Vincent van Gogh.
The park has gained international recognition for its innovative approach to balancing tourism, recreation and environmental protection. By promoting alternative access points and encouraging visitors to discover lesser-known areas, the new initiative demonstrates how sustainable tourism can both enhance visitor experiences and safeguard valuable natural landscapes.
In addition to visitor distribution, Brabant Partners continues to work on improving sustainable access to nature through public transport connections and mobility solutions that make it easier for visitors to reach recreational destinations without relying on private cars.
Through initiatives such as WandelStarter, the MONA Project showcases how regions across North-West Europe can use visitor management, sustainable mobility and nature-based tourism to create more balanced, resilient and attractive destinations for both residents and visitors.