De Zilk
De Zilk is located in the north of Noordwijk. De Zilk is an active and diverse village. The popular Waterleidingduinen (dunes), the cozy village center and the colorful flower bulb fields are characteristic. De Zilk organizes many activities and has a rich club life. Come and enjoy the beautiful surroundings and beautiful nature in De Zilk.
Welcome to De Zilk!
Active community
The people in De Zilk are down-to-earth, hard-working, enterprising and independent. With a sense of community and cohesion that you rarely find, where everyone is always there for each other. De Zilk is known in the region for many activities such as carnival, fun fair and the bulb flowering period. Every year during carnival, different floats are designed by the carnival club De Duinknijnen. Also the popular flower mosaics, which become more colorful every year. De Zilk is a small, charming village with lots of space for fun, music and culture. It is a close-knit community where residents take a lot of initiative to make the village lively. For example, the proceeds from the annual flea market are donated to Jeugdwerk De Zilk and there is a party committee foundation.
History
As early as the 17th century, wealthy merchants and nobles from the big cities moved to this area to enjoy fresh air, peace and beauty on their country estates. During the same period, flower bulb cultivation flourished in the nutrient-rich natural soil.
There are still three main types of flowers growing: hyacinths, daffodils and tulips. People used to talk about “Little Zilk”, where the flower bulb factories were located, and “Großer Zilk”, the neighborhoods where workers lived. In addition to flower bulb cultivation, De Zilk has a small center with a neo-Gothic Catholic church, the Sacred Heart Church.
During the Second World War, De Zilk had an emergency airfield for Dutch aircraft.
Origin
The history of the area goes back to the ice age, where the glaciers melted and sand walls were created by erosion of wind and weather. At De Zilk, a small wall was created near the Zilkerduinweg. Eventually, more and more sand walls were connected to the west of that road until the area formed a dune area. The name 'Zilk' derives from the 'De Zillic', a name that first appeared in 1399. The name is probably derived from the salty water, because this area regularly flooded with water during high tide. The water that remained after the flood lost its salinity and became saline. Hence the degeneration from Zillic to De Zilk.
Nature Reserve
The Waterleidingduinen are accessible from De Zilk and are known for their unspoilt and protected dune nature. Take a beautiful walk through this area, or go jogging. Deer are in abundance here, you cannot miss them. If you are lucky, you may also see a fox. The area has many different facets, for example it is partly wooded but also partly savanna-like. The extensive hills and low shrubbery sometimes give the impression of walking on a Russian tundra. The Nature Reserve is very spacious, and gives the feeling of being alone in the world. After a lovely walk, there are several places nearby where you can go for a drink.
More about nature in Noordwijk
Find the dwarf village
You'll get the best impression of the natural area by visiting the area yourself. Experience the untouched nature and vastness of De Zilk and relax completely. Also a wonderful excursion for families with children.
Search for the dwarf village hidden in the Waterleidingduins. There is no special children's walk, but the search is all the more fun. The dwarf village is about 1.2 kilometers walk from the main entrance (Joppeweg 1, De Zilk).
Follow the paved hiking trail. As soon as you cross the water you will be close to the dwarves. After about three hundred meters you take the dirt road into the dunes. Pay particular attention to red pointed caps.
