The 31-year-old Joyce Zoer walks a bit. Via the Join Me Outide account, the Assenaar has been tapping all kinds of fun hiking routes for two years. That walking is hot is evident from the ever -growing number of followers that she reaches with her videos. “I make a nice video of it, with beautiful images of nature and a nice music underneath. I think people spontaneously feel like walking.”
Joyce also put on the hiking shoes today. She is going to make a trip of 6 kilometers through the Drents-Friese Wold, the Tilgrup Valley Walking Route. “Nature can go on this route,” says Joyce, who walked it earlier. “They just leave trees that have fallen over. It is therefore a bit rough. And there are all kinds of winding paths, decking and bridges that you can walk over. That makes it extra fun.”
With an adventurous outfit and a backpack on Joyce pulls through the whole of Drenthe. She wants to complete the Drenthe Pad. In her bag there is always a thermos jug with tea. “For when I come across a nice, cute bench, like that there.” She points to a wooden bench overlooking the forest. The sun shines through the tops of the trees. “This is delicious,” she shouts.
As a child, Joyce Walking enjoyed walking, she says. She regularly goes out with her mother. But she also often walks alone. “I like to be outside, in nature and to hear the birds whistling. Sometimes you come across animals, such as deer or rabbits. It is a small adventure every time. And of course it is a very healthy activity.”
To get inspiration, she started following a number of hikers on Instagram and Tiktok. She thought it would be nice to also share her own walks. “I never thought it would catch on. But it does. My best watched video was watched almost 1 million times on Instagram. And I have more than 7,000 people who follow me.”
Why are the videos such a success? “I think because I share all kinds of routes: short routes of 5 kilometers but also longer of 20 kilometers and even routes for people in a wheelchair. And I make nice cheerful videos about it, which makes you feel like walking.”
The videos makes them herself. Sometimes her mother films her, and if that is not possible, she puts her camera on a tripod. “I always hope that I don’t meet anyone at those moments,” she says laughing. “But hey, it is also done. I enjoy the surroundings for most of the time.”
Joyce can’t live from her walking videos yet. That is not necessary either, because she has a nice job at the Hanze Hogeschool. “But I’m going to try it,” she says. “It’s going so well now.”