Westkapelle (Netherlands)

Westkapelle is a coastal town on the far west end of the Walcheren peninsula, a former island on the North Sea coast of the Western Netherlands. It's a small town with a tumultuous but proud past and for long, this was a rather closed community. Today, Westkapelle has embraced tourism and visitors flock to its still relatively quiet beaches and cosy establishments.

Understand
Historians believe this was once a thriving fishermen's town and known place of commerce. It suffered from repeated viking raids and the location on the edge of Walcheren (then still an island) made it vulnerable to the force of the sea. Over the centuries the town was repeatedly struck by floods. By the end of the 14th century, the sea had claimed ever larger parts of the dunes and outer parts of town were swallowed by the water. It was only through the following construction of the large sea dike that the rest of the town could be secured. Still today, this dike is one of the sturdiest ones, strengthened from both sides since no other part of the Dutch dikes suffers more attacks from the water than the Westkapelle dike does. In the centuries that followed, however, the commerce disappeared and the once lively city became a poor village of dike workers. A rather closed community emerged, with strong cultural traditions of which, to some degree, glimpses can still be found during celebrations today.

While times improved in the early 20th century, the town was largely destroyed by a British bombing in World War II. German troops had set up several strongholds on Walcheren. Although the allied forces had freed Antwerp and Zeelandic Flanders, the German positions made it impossible for them to use the strategically important water way to Antwerp, which became vital to bring in Allied troops and machinery for the Battle of the Bulge. In order to weaken the German position, Walcheren was flooded by bombing the dikes. In these bombings, the Westkapelle community suffered 158 casualties and the town was ruined. The Kreek, a salty lake next to the village, remained after the hole in the dike was finally closed over a year later.

Today, tourism is an important aspect of life in the area. Westkapelle has some 2600 permanent inhabitants (2021) and is an administrative part of the Veere municipality.

By car
Via the N288, Westkapelle is about a 25-minute drive from Vlissingen, where it connects to the E312 highway. The local Prelaatweg and Walcherse weg is the quickest route in from Middelburg (20 minutes), while the 288 heads north of Westkapelle towards Domburg and Oostkapelle.

By public transport
There's no train service to Westkapelle, but buses connect this (and other towns on the peninsula) to the train stations of Middelburg and Vlissingen. Buses to and from Westkapelle run every hour, but the last ones leave around 20:00 and on Sundays the service is limited to every two hours.


 * Bus line 53: Middelburg - Koudekerke - Biggekerke - Meliskerke - Zoutelande - Westkapelle - Domburg.
 * Bus line 864, known as the Summer Express, runs only in the summer holidays, between Middelburg and Vlissingen, with stops at the main beaches (including Westkapelle) and some other places of interest to visitors. Stops include Domburg, Veere and Oostkapelle. You can use an OV-chipkaart, buy a day ticket for €3.50 or a family day ticket (allowing two adults and three kids) for €14.30.

Hiking or biking
If you're looking to cycle here, you are in luck. Both the long distance EV12 North Sea Cycle Route and Euroroute-R1 pass through here. They connect Westkapelle with the Hook of Holland and The Hague to the north, and with Vlissingen to the south-west. Even if you're coming from another direction, the cycle-friendly Dutch roads will pose no challenges. For serious hikers, the E9 European long distance path passes through too.

Get around
The town is small and easy to explore on foot. From the village centre, it's a 15-minute walk to the pavilions on the south beach, and all the other sights are within the same kind of distance. A bicycle makes the distances even shorter, and also makes it easy to explore the rest of the Walcheren peninsula and nearby towns. Out of the town centre, there are plenty of dedicated cycling paths. If you didn't bring your own, it's possible to rent a normal or electrically supported bike. While elevation is limited, keep in mind that on a windy day, the sea winds can make cycling slightly challenging.

Do

 * Enjoy the beach - The blue flag on Westkapelle indicates the clean quality of its sea water, and its narrow but sandy beaches are the main reason for many people to come here. Like on most beaches, swimming, sunbathing and building sand castles are the main activities, although strolling along the beach and having a drink in a pavilion is an excellent alternative, especially when the unreliable Dutch summer makes swimming a chilly affair.
 * During the main "bathing season" from May 1st to September 15th, extra regulations apply. Dogs must be on a leash, horses, surfing, double-line kiting and approaching the beach with a motorized boat is not allowed, while they are allowed outside these hours. Open fire, camping, and nude swimming and sunbathing are prohibited at all times.


 * Water sports varying from kite-surfing to swimming to sailing can be practised on the North Sea or on lakes such as the Veerse Meer, in between Westkapelle and the island of Noord-Beveland.
 * Several cycling routes cross through the municipality of Veere, amongst which are the Middelburg and Vlissingen cycle routes.

Buy
There's no large shopping area, but the town centre has a few shops to meet daily needs of tourists and visitors alike. You'll also find basic things a tourist might search for, including greeting cards, some souvenirs and beach supplies.

Market
Durign the entire year, every Friday afternoon from 13:00 to 17:00 a small market is set up on th market square. In summer, usually in July and August, a larger seasonal market is set up every Friday from 12:00 to 19:00 on the market square and adjoining streets. In addition to the usual foods and non-foods you'll find at the year-round weekly market, there are sellers with local produce, souvenirs and other tourist oriented goods.

Eat
There are plenty of establishments, both on the sea dike and the beach and in town. They serve a range of dishes and are also fine for a cup of coffee and a piece of cake. Keep in mind that in winter the beach pavilions close and many of the other establishments have limited hours too.

On the beach
The beach is a 5-minute walk from the town centre, so even if you are not here for a day at the beach, it's a good option for a scenic dinner.

Camping
The Walcheren area is especially popular with domestic, German and Belgian visitors. Many of them, including lots of families, come here for camping holidays. As in all tourist oriented areas of the Netherlands, well-maintained camp sites are readily available in and around town. Some of them also offer ready tents or holiday houses for rent, if you didn't bring your equipment.



Connect
Most of the hotels and camp sites offer WiFi, although quality varies and some only have it in a central area. Mobile coverage is good.

Post cards and stamps are available from several shops around town, but there's also a postal service point in the Spar supermarket.

Go next
There are quite a few worthwhile destinations in the area, and especially those on the Walcheren peninsula are easy enough to reach for a day trip, even by bike. Plenty of school kids cycle to Vlissingen or Middelburg every day, so nothing should stop you from doing the same, although catching a bus is just as easy.
 * Vlissingen
 * Middelburg

Slightly further, off the peninsula is Zierikzee, another typical Dutch coastal town. If you have your own car, Sluis is a comparable option, but the major Belgian city of Antwerp and the Dutch city of Breda are, at about an 80 minute drive, just as far. Rotterdam is the nearest large city in the Netherlands, and is a 90 minute drive.