Easy hikes and walks around Sloterplas

Beach in Amsterdam Nieuw West, restaurant with good coffee around the corner with also a SUP rental box

'A beach in the middle of the neighborhood: that's luxury! In the summer it is completely full and there is also volleyball. We don't have to go to Zandvoort anymore, we have our own place.' In the summer the West Beach Film Festival is also held here: watching films outdoors with a view of the Sloterplas.

A museum dedicated to the inventor of Nieuw-West: Cornelis van Eesteren. This month you can see the exhibition Air & play: Event structure research group 1967-1982. This group of artists made large inflatable installations in public spaces, including a pyramid with which an attempt was made to walk across the Sloterplas. A version of this is the focal point of the exhibition.

From here you can start with a round of Sloterplas.

Helma Knijn came up with the idea of a labyrinth in Sloterpark in 2009 in conversation with Constance van Terheijden. The location in the Sloterpark was waiting for a meaningful interpretation. Together they took the first steps to develop a corresponding plan. This became a citizens' initiative that was taken up by the district council and lasted two years before it was actually realized. The maze is also (literally) in our heads. It is part of our organ of hearing and balance. The labyrinth also symbolizes balance and has existed for thousands of years. The word labyrinth comes from ancient Greece and is a loan word from the language of the Minoans on Crete (from the legend of Theusus and the labyrinth of Knossos). The labyrinth is also known to other peoples and cultures. The maze is a universal symbol of the difficult path that a person goes through his life. In language, a labyrinth is often confused with a maze, but they are different concepts. A maze is a place to get lost, it creates confusion, you have to choose which path to follow, because the paths divide. In addition, a labyrinth does not have to be round, but can also have a square area. It is confusing, often consists of high hedges or the like, causing people to lose their bearings. A maze often also contains entertainment elements, such as B. laughing mirrors, so it is sometimes seen as an attraction. The oldest labyrinths in Europe date from the 16th century (Verona, around 1570). Since then, the labyrinths have continued to evolve. Source: http://www.vriendenvandesloterplas.nl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=99&Itemid=8

"Some think it looks like a plane crash, I see more of a big turd in it." However you look at it; you cannot miss this work of art on a hill in the Sloterpark. When the weather is nice, people sit around it to barbecue or relax, they walk over the artwork or sit on it. For example, the work from 1974, by artist Wessel Couzijn and bronze founder Mart Joosten, after years of neglect and imminent demolition, turns out to be very valuable for the park.

"Ideal for anyone with small children: in any case, my daughter was always very happy when we went here." The wading pool is an iconic design by architect Aldo van Eyck, who was responsible for many playgrounds in Amsterdam. This is the ideal place to cool off.

The pond was dug to raise the surrounding neighborhoods with sand. Because more and more sand was needed, the puddle became deeper and deeper. Ultimately, the Sloterplas became more than 30 meters deep. ‘From the dotted terrace at Restaurant Oostoever on the northeast side you have a magnificent view over the Sloterplas. On the left you see trees and on the right green and the marina. It feels un-Amsterdam.'