With its 80 hectares, the nature reserve Ter Yde is the heart of one of the largest dune areas of our coastline. This 260 hectare area is some 2.5 km wide and about 2 km deep and is situated between the beach and the polder. With the Zeebermduinene, Karthuizerduinen, Hannecartbos, Spelleplekke, Plaatsduinen, Witte Burgand Oostvoorduinen and Ter Yde itself of course. Yde means harbour and anchorage. That is where the names "New Yde" and "Coxyde", also known as Koksijde, come from. The Albert I-Laan is the boundry between the outer and inner dunes. A large part of this area is then rising dunes wich become high parabolic dunes. This is clearly visible when you enter via the kolonel Dhaenenlaan. A sand hill runs abruptly down to a dip behind which a series of dunes extends. This can still be seen as a real sand desert. To the South the relief declines and the landscape changes into dune meadow and bush. Here we can find the older head dunes with moss-grown and herbaceous vegetation.
