Building sand castles at the beach is a classic summer pastime for most people, but in The Hague, the Dutch go a step further. Rosie Khdir discovers the sand sculptures of Scheveningen Beach.

From 29th April until 28th June Scheveningen Beach is awash with towering sand sculptures as part of the 19th International Sand Sculpture Festival.

As The Hague was recently named the Top Sport City 2009, by Sport2B consultancy, the theme for this year’s artwork is sport. Sand carvers from all over the world will come together to create 14 sculptures on the beach pavilion terraces and two much larger sculptures on the boulevard near the Kurhaus and the Pier.

The technique behind such artistry consists of layering the sand, which comes from the river Maas, in a wooden mold and compacting it with water and petrol hammers.

The secret to a strong and long-standing sculpture is the type of sand used. It is for this reason that the beach sand is not used; it is rounded due to tidal wash and wind, making it harder to model with. Sculpturing sand is less eroded and has a rougher structure in order to stack it up to a higher level.

The sand is then carved with special tools to create beautiful masterpieces that stand several metres tall. Past subjects have included Greek Mythology and Disney scenes!

To witness these beautiful pieces for yourself, why not hop on a ferry! P&O Ferries runs a great value service from Hull – Rotterdam.

Image credit: Jeroen Kransen

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