The Noordsvaarder, one of the most beautiful and varied nature reserves in Terschelling, includes the beach plain on the west side of Terschelling plus the entire dune area north of the cycle path to Paal 8. It was first a loose sandbank, but in the nineteenth century the Noordsvaarder grew. attached to Terschelling. You will find humid valleys, drifting dunes and vast sandbanks. There are several rare plants, such as the green-knot orchid, parnassia, button rush and the flesh-colored orchid. As breeding birds you will find the avocet, the sand plover, ringed plover, curlew and the marsh and hen harrier. The Noordsvaarder can be reached by walking onto the beach of the Noordsvaarder from West-Terschelling. There are not many trails and the trails that do exist can sometimes be difficult to navigate in the wet periods. Until 1996, part of the area served as a military training ground for the air force.