Groet: parking, the dunes and the smallest town hall in the Netherlands

The Schoorlse Duinen begin directly west of the village, the highest and widest in the Netherlands: a top at 55.4 metres, five kilometres wide, more than 60 kilometres of walking path. Supermarket at 400 metres, GP at 1.5 kilometres, nearest station at 12 kilometres.

Where can you park?

On the street, free. Groet is not on the list of paid parking areas of the gemeente Bergen (the municipality of Bergen). That list applies only in Bergen, Schoorl, Bergen aan Zee, Egmond aan Zee and Hargen aan Zee.

Watch out if you drive on to the sea. Hargen aan Zee is 0.7 kilometres away and does fall under paid parking, from 1 March to 1 November every day from 10.00 to 19.00. Camperduin (1.6 kilometres) is, like Groet, not on that list, but private sites there do charge. Read the sign.

What should you have seen?

At Kerkbrink 19 stands the smallest town hall in the Netherlands: 6.75 by 4.25 metres, with 1639 in the gable stone. Inside were a council chamber, a small hall and a lock-up in the cellar. Next to it stand the Witte Huisjes (the white cottages), built as poorhouse dwellings for two large families.

At Kerkbrink 1 the Witte Kerkje (the white church) stands on a mound, with a wooden tower and room for 120 people. Since 1805 Groet and Schoorl have shared one minister, turn and turn about.

At Hargerweg 12 the Groetermolen turns, a grondzeiler (a ground-sailer windmill) from 1890 with a span of 21.5 metres. Its predecessor was lost to a lightning strike on 4 October 1889. Until 1977 it kept the 220 hectares of the Groeterpolder dry on wind power alone.

Can the dog run free on the beach?

In summer before 10.00 and after 19.00. In between he may come on the lead to the activity beaches (orange posts), not to the sunbathing beach (yellow) or the naturist beach (pink). In winter more is allowed. Bergen adopted new beach rules in March 2026, which only come into force in 2027.

How do you get there without a car?

By bus line 151 from Connexxion, between St. Maartenszee Goudvis and Alkmaar Station. Stops in and around the village: Kerkbrink, De Bokkesprong, Houtendijk, Carpe Diem and Herenweg/Dokterspost. On foot: the European walking route E9 runs through Groet, here the Noordzeepad or Hollands Kustpad.

What is there to do in summer?

Every Monday between 1 July and 25 August there is ZomerGroet around the church, from 15.00 to 21.00: food trucks, stalls, live music.

Finally, something you do not see. At the foot of the dunes, west of the cycle path to Groet, the Sephardic Jews of Amsterdam buried their dead from 1602 onwards. Amsterdam refused them a grave inside the city, Alkmaar did cooperate. Between 1616 and 1626 at least 52 sets of remains were moved to Ouderkerk aan de Amstel. A building ban rests on the plot, now woodland.