free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
National Park Dwingelderveld, Drenthe, the Netherlands
It’s another 6 months before my next planned trip to Scotland and I can’t possibly wait that long to post another walk report, so I hope you’ll forgive me for posting this quickie ‘Outside Scotland’, one that’s suffering from a lack of hills but not a lack of beauty.
We all know it’s an illusion to think that there is much ‘wild’ nature left in this part of Europe, untouched by man, but some places are a bit more affected than others. My country, the Netherlands, is such a place. No wonder really, seeing as we’re 16 million people living on a speck of land the size of a stamp! And a boggy stamp, at that. As a result, our (oh so carefully) preserved nature is as much a testament to ways of life (and ways of making a living) of the generations before us, as it is showcase of what nature has to offer. Though this may sound as criticism, it’s not really. The more I travel and the more stunning the things I see abroad, the more I also appreciate the cute little place that we’ve crafted here. It’s a different kind of beauty, but one that warms my heart nonetheless.
So, back to the walk. On this fine autumn day I got up at 5 am to take the train north, to a place called Dwingelderveld in Drenthe Province. I’d been in the area years before in summer and thought the colors this time of year must be something worth seeing. And boy, was I right! I intended to get there before sunrise, but due to a broken-down train my trip up took 4 trains, a bus, and a good 3,5 hours, so I had to be content watching the sunrise from the train:
- Sunrise from the train
This walk was a 15 km circuitous route through National Park Dwingelderveld. It is one of the largest wet moorlands in Europe and is ‘actively’ preserved, meaning they are currently trying to ‘upgrade’ the biodiversity to what it was early 20th century before commercial foresting and farming. They’re doing a good job working with local partners; it’s a bother for farmers to have fields spread out in between forest and moors anyway, so with some creative planning, they’re trading land and giving the moors more space.
It was the diversity that struck me most on this walks. It’s not just moorland; there is extensive peat coverage, numerous pools and fens, grassy fields and many different types of forest. Some remnants of commercial forest, meaning various pine, but even in those nature has been given a free reign for years now. Moreover, its not just pine; you can find pretty much any type of tree you can think of here. There are bits of birch forest, beach forest, mixed woods, and even a stretch of century old juniper. Though I was too late to see the heather blooming, the fall colors were just breathtaking!
- Autumn colors
Perfect red oak:
- Red tree
Sun-kissed pine and birch:
- Sun-kissed trees
Partial change:
- Partial change
Flaming orange:
- Orange!
Some greens still:
- Soft and green
It was also teaming with mushrooms, all kinds of sizes and colors, red, white, purple, yellow, golf ball??
- Purple
- Yellow
- Golf ball
- red and white
- Red and wet
- Spotlight
- weird
- It's diamonds!
The weather was just the right mix to appreciate the fens: not too much wind and enough cloud to reflect onto the water's surface; enough sun to give it that golden glow.
- Reflections
- Pano 2
They use cows and sheep to keep the moors from being overgrown. Now I don't mind sheep at all, and I think cows are quite pretty from a distance, but I'm a bit of a wuss when it comes to walking past cows without a fence between them and me! And these were bulls
- Moooo
Luckily once around the water when I passed them they were only mildly interested and didn't move more than a few steps in my direction. Quite proud of myself for staying calm and not run
- Stay there please!