The Hike - 1

Well-aware of the beneficial influence of hiking on the psyche, I have booked myself a hiking holiday in Northumberland in August, where I am supposed to be able to do 6 hour walks up and down those hills.
Being gruesomely out of shape, a hiking training program seems in order. Want to accompany me?

If you are following my blog, you'll know that I've had a rather bumpy ride of late...No need to go into it, but I really need some changes in my life and mostly in the mental department. And since mental and physical are closely intertwined, I have devised a training schedule for myself with the aim of getting me able to walk those Northern English hills without pain and without embarrassing myself.

So, today was the first day of the new and better me (loud guffaw inserted here!).

I set off from my new home on the outskirts of my suburb of Nieuw-Helvoet, and set myself a hike of 1 hour brisk walking.The weather conditions could have been better, but definitely a lot worse. It was dry, but foggy and damp (humidity 100%: quite normal for my part of the Dutch Wetland Delta) and very gloomy, with a light south-south-westerly wind of 16 km/hr and a temperature of 4C.

I decided to walk towards the old hill fort in Nieuwenhoorn.

I pass this when I cycle to work, and like it very much.It is part of the old naval defense works, but is in disrepair. Farmers are allowed to graze their sheep around it, and the sheep are accustomed to stand in the middle of the cycle path looking blank.

After passing the hill fort I came to the village of Nieuwenhoorn (now part of my naval town of Hellevoetsluis)and turned right. This wind mill, called Zeezicht (Why? You cannot, and was never able to, see the sea from here!)has been an eyesore for years as it was practically falling apart. But thankfully now it is being repaired. 

Walking along the main road into Hellevoetsluis, I came across this placard.

This needs some explanation as to why it made me laugh out loud. 

Here we go; a quick lecture on the Dutch psyche.

We are a nation of ice skaters. You think the Canadians have the honour, but you are wrong. We Dutchies have invented ice skating, and it is in our blood. The placard reads "Sharpening Skates" and it is a manifestation of wishful thinking. For we hardly have any frosts anymore, and if we do have them (like this past week in fact), the temperatures don't drop below zero far enough to get us ice thick enough to skate on. This hurts. It makes us migrate to parts of The Netherlands where they do have ice thick enough (the North-East, where the mild sea winds don't reach)or even to Austria to skate our largest skating event on the Weisensee and pretend we are in Friesland.

This Blue Heron at the end of my street is the better for it - they suffer when there is ice. It watched me walk past and cheered me on. They are quite common in my part of the country (I remember English twitchers going wild with envy when I told them I see them every day in my country)and pretty tame. Still, naive bird feeding people do get an eye pecked out by herons from time to time...

And that concludes our first hike. I hope you've enjoyed walking along with me and will join me next time.

The Oostvoornse Duinen - Wetlands Supreme!

For those of you who enjoy hiking (but walking is fine as well), I have a tip for you that will give you entrance to one of the oldest and most varied dune landscapes of The Netherlands:
The "Oostvoornse Duinen".

The Sea Dunes

It being our Autumn break, I went there yesterday with my regular hiking companion, who used to be 2, 3, 4...and is now 22 years old.

My son and I enjoy walking together, and this part of our island of Voorne is our favourite.

It was a typical Wetlands day: misty, damp, grey cloud cover and threatening to rain (and sure enough half-way through it did start to rain and wouldn't stop).

Oostvoorne is a small town, part of the larger municipality of Westvoorne (comprising of  Rockanje, Tinte, Brielle and Oostvoorne). To get there you take the largest motorway (which thankfully still is a two-lane) N218 and then follow the signposts to the starting point of our hike: the carpark next to the Natuurmonumenten/Zuid-Hollands Landschap Education Centre ("Bezoekerscentrum") on the Duinstraat 12a. (Adjacent to the comfortable restaurant called De Meidoorn).

Bezoekerscentrum 

The landscape has slowly evolved over the centuries. It used to be mostly sand dunes, but due to landowners planting tree plantations and acid rain it is now a very green area with lots of trees, shrubs, berry carrying shrubs and grasses and reed beds  as well as sand dunes. In order to keep the grasses in check, large areas have been fenced in (this IS The Netherlands after all) so that herds of sheep, ponies and cows can graze there in relative freedom.

Contrary to what you might think, the bottom line doesn't mean that there is no danger of meeting a wolf, but that you have to keep your dog on a leash. We don't have wolves (yet) in this part of the Wetlands.

My son and I decided to take one of the longer walks; the walk around a dune lake called Het Breede Water. (2 hours)

To get there, you have to take the path to the right next to the education centre and along the attractive lake called the Tenella Plas. Again, this being the Netherlands, there is no danger of getting lost: the paths are mostly signposted by means of coloured arrows. The Breede Water route is clockwise, signposted with a white arrow.

Tenella Plas

Tenella Plas

At first there are still some small farm houses dotted around (much sought-after to live in these days), and the typical meadows that belong to them.

Actual farming is forbidden now though, the landscape has all been given back to 'nature' (which is a laugh, really. It is as well tended as a garden!)

As soon as you have crossed the horse bridlepath, you enter a wet area, so wellingtons are a good option from October onwards. In fact, if we have a wet winter and we usually do, many of the paths are extremely muddy.

You now walk along a sandy/grassy path adjacent to one of the old pine plantations (on your left). To your right are the older dunes, with many berry carrying shrubs which attract numerous birds.

As a girl I always laughed to see the sparrows and blackbirds get drunk on the orange berries of the meidoorn.

After approximately half an hour you can view the largest dune lake, the Breede Water, on your right hand side. There is a viewpoint ("Uitzichtpunt"), from where you can spot the waterfowl whilst they cannot spot you.

Breede Water

Cormorant's Island

In Spring the Breede Water is an overcrowded place, with cormorants, swans, ducks, geese, herons (both white and blue) and spoonbills making their nests there.

Yesterday is was deserted.

I used to take my son's friends around the lake as a birthday treat (picknick), and since his birthday is in April, those boys always walked demonstratively with their noses pinched because of the stench of Cormorant's Island.

This area has so many happy memories for me! I came here with my Mum (and dogs), and then with my kids (and dogs).

To my dismay the favorite climbing tree of my children has been chopped...

Just look at this... This was 12 years ago.
As I said, you walk around the Breede Water clockwise, so at the half-way mark you enter the proper dunes.

This is the closest thing we Wetlanders have to anything slightly resembling a hill (tiny), and it used to be all SAND when I was a girl!

Breede Water from the other side, black pines in the background

I hope you will be able to follow those white arrows, for this is the (only) point where the path is a bit tricky (hard to see), and you could get lost.
Still, you are always in sight and reach of your GPS satellite, so don't you fret!

When you have almost reached the point where you started walking around the Breede Water, you again enter the forest.

The Beeches are just starting to turn

You'll know when you have not strayed when you again reach the Tenella Plas.
Do go and visit restaurant De Meidoorn before you start you car! They do lovely Dutch grub and the ambience is very friendly.

I hope you have enjoyed this route. Whenever you are near - come visit Voorne!

Google Maps pointer: type in Tenellaplas Oostvoorne.

Blood Moon over The Wetlands? Jodymoon Rules!

Good afternoon (well, it is here), my music lovers everywhere around the world.

Whilst our moon is gearing up for her Blood Moon phase later on this weekend, we here in The Wetlands have another moon worth watching. And especially worth listening to!
I have blogged about this band before, Jodymoon, but I am presently going to blog about them again.
Why?
Because they are bloody (moon) good, that's why! (pun intended)

Whilst searching out one of their songs on YouTube to link to for you, I came upon one of their own videos from a couple of years ago, and since it is in English (how convenient!) I'll link this underneath this post.
They have moved on (a bit) since then, but their music is consistently brilliant and original. The funny thing is that the people in the know (radio djs, critics) all agree that they are brilliant and original, and still they are relatively unknown in The Netherlands.
Weird, that! And a shame. All my fellow countrymen are missing out.
We are clustered in front of The Voice every Friday evening, where unknown singers are bombarded to "Stars"  overnight, when all this time we have a little diamond in our midst hardly anyone cares about.

So. I've decided that I will single-handedly do my best plug here. Just think - you will appreciate this band which is under-rated in their own country...oooooohhhh....good for you!
Do give the video a try, and if you want more they are on YouTube with some of their songs, often live. 

Introducing Jodymoon

My Pond Fish Have Started A Fish-Protest-Group.

Oh dear, all of a sudden my gorgeous pond has turned into a mini Everglades with hardly any water visible...
I swear my goldfish have started their own pressure group: FISH FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM.
And when I was trying to restore some order (and find the water), I expected an alligator to stalk me.

If you look closely you can see the fish swimming around in the foreground,waving their placards.

So I fiddled around a bit with one of those professional looking, but oh-so-akward-to-use, pond appliances which consists of a long pole, a wire, a handle and a cutting knife. Within 3 minutes my back was aching and my fish had fled to the other side of the pond. Perhaps our riot police should start waving those cutters about instead of pelting protesters with tear gas.

Still, I managed to clear a bit of water. 

Ah....look....happy fishies.

Autumn really has arrived in The Wetlands now. It smells of apples, leaves turning and wet earth in my garden. Before long the fish will have plenty of clear water again, when all that greenery will die down.
But until then I will enjoy the pond jungle.

Note to Self: try to find a house with a pond.

Are You A Beach Person?

Good morning to you!
Circumstances beyond my control (I was asked out to lunch) brought me to one of our local beaches yesterday. And even though it was your normal, typical September Wetlands beach weather (cold, damp, windy, cloudy, 14 degrees but the wind-chill factor making it feel like 12 degrees) I found myself asking myself why I don't visit the beach more often.

And no, this is NOT our beach...
This is our beach:

©Wibe Koopman Photography

Still. There were quite a lot of people kitesurfing, which I admire enormously. 

Imagine: you drive yourself to this beach (often from Germany), you gear up in a sticky sandy wetsuit, you drag this humungous kite towards the water (just take a look at that distance, won't you?), you get all those lines untangled, then the wind blows them all into a ball again and you start over, then you walk that kite into the water, you forget your board so you have to do it all again, you stand there buffeted by the waves...And when you know your stuff you're away.

As I said: I admire those people.

The ones with the kite dragging a kart - hm, not so much somehow. First, they don't get wet. Second, it's more the gear than the skill, to my un-knowing eyes. Sorry if I've offended anyone now. Not my intention, simply my opinion.

But then again, that 3rd photo is to show you the nature of our Wetlands beaches. Vast, vast, vast stretches of sand. Our tides rush in covering kilometers, no joke. Our waters are grey most of the time, sometimes a kind of blue if we get lucky. And they are always chilly to cold to downright freezing. And they are treacherous, with an undertow causing deaths every summer.

Still. They do have a certain charm.

The wildlife is wonderful. We have lots of seabirds, seals, dolphins (the smaller kind called bruinvissen), sharks (very small ones - and we play this down or otherwise all those German tourists will stay away), and a nasty little fish called a Pieterman, which has a poisoned stickle and buries itself in the sand with just the stickle sticking out (saying we play this one down is an understatement - we do not mention the Pieterman at all!) causing you agony for days. Local lore has taught me that the only relief is to pee over your foot. Quite a feat when you are hopping on one foot howling your head off. The best thing to do is to ask someone else to pee over your poor foot.

One of the good things about our local beaches is the beach restaurants. They have evolved from simple wooden shacks where you could get a bottled beer, a terrible coffee and a plate of fries (sixties/seventies) to proper (but still wooden - this is a rule) restaurants with all the mod cons and great food. Large open fires to warm yourself by (necessary in our climate), a huge range of beers to choose from, good to great food, nice ambience, often live music at the weekends, a laid-back atmosphere.

So, all in all, I told myself I really should go to the beach more often. I live on an island, surrounded by islands, for Frith's sake!

Location, location, location: 1e and/or 2e Slag, Rockanje, on the island of Voorne.
All photos (except #1 and #2) by Renée Grashoff.

Oi! We Actually Have A Tropics Schedule Imposed on The Wetlands!

Temperatures have soared to 34 degrees C during the last two days. I mean...here! In The Wetlands! People don't know what has hit them! Our schools have imposed a tropics schedule.
I wrote a micro poem about it. Hang on, while I attempt to dive into my heat-fuddled brain.

Right, found it - right next to the grades for 1F (disappointing) and 2A (wonderful).

Unaccustomed heat Produces uneasy dreams Of freedom Untying ties Forging new ones Cherishing unsought declarations Of tenderness

Come to think of it (ever the teacher, sorry, professional deformation) you cannot forge ties, can you. You forge chains. Well, you'll probably get my drift anyway.Our newspapers are full of good advice about how to battle this unaccustomed heat (uneasy dreams or not). I'll para-phrase.

1. drink plenty of fluids, preferably water. (Plenty of water around here, though it is not so advisable to drink it! You'll probably die from Weill's disease, a terrible death)
2. have at least one ice-cream a day (No problem, bring'em on!)
3. Do not lock babies, dogs, cats, Granny or your ailing boss in your car whilst getting the shopping in (And our cows are very susceptible to heatstroke too!)
4. Do not attempt too strenuous work (Ha! tell that to us teachers! We are in the last frantic struggle to finish the school year without sudden death)
5. Try to do your work before 12 pm and after 4 pm. (What???)
6. Put Granny, your babies, your boss or your pooches in a paddling pool (Ever tried putting my dog in a paddling pool? Not advisable; her legs may be failing, but her teeth function very well)
7. Suck on ice-cubes (Ehm...This actually was ad verbatim in the newspaper list. I'd like to amend it: put down some ice-cubes in your boxers. There - much more effective!)

Weather prediction for tomorrow: 36 degrees. Aw...I need to finish my lesson schedule for next year...

Good ideas to keep cool, anyone?

Happiness is in the Details - Gardening in the Wetlands

Good afternoon (or evening/morning, depending where you are on this globe of ours).
Today we are having typical Wetlands weather: 18 degrees and alternately sunny or cloudy, very windy and sometimes threatening rain. Hence: sweater on - sweater off whilst in my garden. I'm used to it.

The garden is absolutely lovely right now. The wind has not damaged much so far, and we have been lucky with the sudden night frost of a week ago (June! I mean, really!) as well.

Since hubby has cut down our ailing plum tree last Autumn as it was threatening to fall onto our greenhouse, our roses get more light, and it shows! We have more roses in bloom than last year, and they look healthier as well.

I adore roses, so I make certain I walk past them at least four times a day, and sometimes even more often.

This is Snow White (Sneeuwwitje in Dutch), isn't it gorgeous?

And this is a nameless Pink we got from my Mum some years ago, as it was ailing on her balcony.  It is doing very well in our garden, thank you very much, and produces flowers almost as large as  my hand.

And again I have dissuaded hubby to tear out the monarda, as I like it. He doesn't, because it produces loads of huge leaves and 'walks' through the flower bed. It is a sloppy plant. I like sloppy (must be because I'm rather sloppy myself).

Hope you liked the photos, until next time!

The Brouwersdam - Windsurfers Mecca.

This afternoon we took ourselves to the Brouwersdam, a man-made dam built to connect the island of Goeree-Overflakkee (province Zuid-Holland) to the island of Schouwen-Duivenland in the province Zeeland in the Netherlands.
Perhaps now you'll understand why I call my neck of the woods 'The Wetlands'.

© Wibe Koopman Photography

Like the Florida keys, our islands are connected like a string of pearls through thin strips of sandy land, or through long bridges which double as barrage dams.

The islands were all proper islands until the Great Flood of February 1953, when huge parts of the islands were inundated in a fierce tidal surge, causing hundreds of people to lose their lives. After that they built a system of dams and bridges (the Deltawerken) to protect the islands and hinterlands from the next monster spring tide which is sure to come sometime.

© Renée Koopman

This particular dam is wildly popular with surfers. Kite surfers, board surfers,  ordinary surfers, kite karters, surfing karters and ordinary kiters all crowd onto the beach and have a great time. Fortunately this particular beach is very broad.

Especially Germans have found their way to this part of the Wetlands. They crowd the campsites with their campers and caravans and enjoy the sands. But I heard French and American as well this afternoon.

I grew up here, so 'beach' is nothing special to me. I am a tree person. But on the occasions I do visit the beach, I really do enjoy the atmosphere, the salty tang in the air, the wind and - at the Brouwersdam - the colourful kites in the air.

Not here the mondain beach clubs with decorative Buddha, wellness and cocktail atmosphere, but down-to-earth surfer's beach hangouts, with sun browned and wind blown happy people shivering in the fresh wind and drinking beer.

If you ever find yourself in the Wetlands, make sure to visit this part. It is a very special, quite un-typical piece of the Netherlands. Not a cow in sight.