Hompelvoet - Ouddorp

Located in Lake Grevelingen, you will find the uninhabited island of Hompelvoet. This island changed from a sandbank into a large open plain in the 1970s, after which rugged vegetation began to grow.

No people live there, but several animal species do. Throughout the year, Fjord horses graze on the island. From May to November, there is also a herd of cows that are specially transported to the island by boat. Besides these large animals, small animals also know how to find their way to the island. Many butterflies flutter around you and bird species such as the black-tailed godwit, redshank and common tern breed here.

On Hompelvoet, you will find two of the rarest flower species: the white Parnassia and the autumn screw orchid, a beautiful orchid species. In fact, the largest population of the autumn screw orchid can be found on Hompelvoet, while this flower is only found in two other places in the Netherlands. Parnassia grows mainly in dune areas, but extremely rare.

Both are wild species with white flowers. They bloom between July and September. It is highly recommended to come to Hompelvoet precisely during that period (after 15 August), when the flowers bloom by the thousands, to admire the sea of white flowers.

Note that between 15 March and 15 August, the island cannot be visited because of the bird nesting season. A bird watcher keeps watch and ensures that the birds can build their nests and hatch their chicks undisturbed. Outside of that, Hompelvoet is free to visit by boat.