Hargen aan Zee: car park, beach and the only road there

Hargen aan Zee was laid out in the early seventies. The name probably comes from the Hargerzeeweg, the original path leading to it. The inland hamlet of Hargen is much older: recorded between 822 and around 825 as “in Horgana”, later “Haragum” and “Hargan”. The Hargermolen stands there, a polder mill from 1804.

Where can you park?

On the site along the Hargerstrandweg, 1.600 spaces. From 1 March to 1 November you pay every day from 10.00 to 19.00: 2,45 euros per hour, maximum 7,35 euros per day (zone F, 2026 rate). From 1 November to 1 March parking is free, including on public holidays.

That last point is unique in the gemeente Bergen (Bergen municipality). In Bergen aan Zee, Egmond aan Zee and Schoorl you still pay on Saturdays and Sundays in winter, in Bergen even daily.

You can pay with a parking app, by card or in cash. Two machines stand by the wooden buildings at the start of the site, one halfway along. There are charging points for electric cars all year round, not free, with a charging card. The paved beach access takes you within 200 metres to beach access 20 and Strandpaviljoen Hargen.

Can the dog run off the lead on the beach?

From 1 October to 1 May your dog may run off the lead during the day. From 1 May to 1 October only before 10.00 and after 19.00. In between, the dog may come along on a lead on the activity beach (orange post tops), and on the sun beach (yellow) not at all. At Hargen the sun beach lies in the middle, right in front of the pavilion. So walk on with the dog to the northern or southern flank. New beach rules apply from 1 January 2027.

How do you get there?

By car, via the Hargerstrandweg from Camperduin. That is the only access road, 60 km/h. Halfway along you drive past the gas extraction site of TAQA Energy. From Camperduin it is 2,8 km (5 min), from Schoorl 6,9 km (12 min), from Alkmaar 19,1 km (25 min). Neighbouring Schoorl aan Zee can only be reached on foot or by bike and has no car park by the beach.

When is it busy?

Hargen is the busiest beach of the Schoorlse Duinen (the Schoorl dunes), and the main post of Reddingsbrigade Schoorl (the Schoorl lifeguard brigade) is there for that reason. When Egmond aan Zee is full, traffic marshals send cars here. On the first full weekend of July there is Hargen Sail, with catamaran sailing, beach football and an evening programme. The next edition is 2 to 4 July 2027.

Do not go by the map. Bergen aan Zee lies 5,5 kilometres further south as the crow flies, but it is 17,5 kilometres of driving and half an hour on the road. There is no coast road through the dunes, so you have to go around it inland.