Renesse beach | Straô-rieën - Renesse

Renesse is known as a popular seaside resort. With good reason, as the village is located on beautiful sandy beaches, together accounting for about 17 kilometres of beach coastline. Some beaches are wider than others, but all are clean, well-maintained and bordered by beautiful dune landscapes.

The Jan van Renesse beach is the main beach and is located on the Jan van Renesseweg. This is the most touristic beach in Renesse. If you are looking for some quieter beaches, 't Klokje on Rampweg and the Watergat on Hoogenboomlaan are good options.

An annual festive highlight that takes place on Renesse's beaches is the Straô-rieen (beach riding). When the (draft) horses are allowed out again in February after a long winter in stables, this is traditionally celebrated by washing the horses' feet in the sea. Renesse is the first village where this ritual takes place, followed in the following weeks by Burgh-Haamstede, Noordwelle, Ellemeet, Scharendijke and Serooskerke.

A large procession of riders gathers at the Transferium in Renesse and rides their decorated horses towards the beach. There, the riders lead their horses into the surf, while remaining seated on their horses. With this ritual washing in the salty sea water, wounds suffered by the horses during the winter in the stable are healed. It was also once believed to exorcise evil spirits that have nestled in horses' legs during winter.

If you join the Straô for the first time, you have to ride at the back. Whoever has ridden along most often gets to ride in front. That person blows a brass horn.

After the ride on the beach and in the sea, the day ends in the village with fun activities such as ring stabbing on horseback, music and eating 'schroasels' (flat spice cakes).