Meandering water, all for yourself
Recently, two well -known hiking book authors at KNNV Uitgeverij A walking guide around an attractive theme appeared: Beken. To be precise, the streams that streams on and around the Veluwe. We are always happy with streams: not only is the rippling water visually and auditory particularly pleasant, it also pulls such a wide or narrow stream through forest or fields many extra birds, animals and rare plants. With the streams of Limburg and the east of the country we were now reasonably known, with those around the Veluwe a lot less. In any case, we did not know that it was so many.
This attractively executed book makes you look at streams differently. Not only because of the seventeen walks that largely lead along streams and branches, and that you would all want to walk, but also because of the extensive information. After each route description, experts talk about the stream and the surrounding landscape, from history to the current situation such as increasing danger. Those who feel like delving well into it can certainly indulge themselves with this book.
The first stream walk (11 kilometers) becomes it at Hierden: at the very top, where the Veluwe is no longer a Veluwe anymore. But that is emphatically true, the authors say: this ‘flat’ piece is also part of it. Here the streams finally flow into the Veluwemeer from the relatively modest heights of the Veluwe. The route follows the final piece of a 27 -kilometer winding stream, with a decline of 27 meters. Soon we leave the village Hierden behind us and walk on a Klinkerweg to the lake, where it is early in the morning of the nice birds – robin steams, putters, a small egret, bluthrost, Cetti’s singer. A bird researcher on the spot says that he regularly sees the sea eagle and fishing. Nearby is a watchtower that lets you look over the reed collar – hundreds of wigeons and crested ducks float on the lake. Then we finally walk along the stream and follow upstream upstream, with clear water everywhere. It is wonderful that you really do not meet anyone here – only the exuberantly singing birds accompany us on this beautiful piece, where five deer are grazing quietly and the hares are tumbling over each other on the natural -looking grasslands with nice and messy verges. The vegetation gradually becomes a bit closer, the trees get higher – to finally pick a few ‘real’ pieces of forest, including a beautiful beuk part. Without walking wrong we end up again at the church of Hierden, although it must be said that the route description (photograph the pages with your phone, the book is too thick to keep in hand) here and there could have been a little clearer – a few times we doubted to take any path.
The same problem manifested a bit more during walk two (12 kilometers): at the Leuvenum streams, a beautiful forest area with winding streams. It did not help that some paths had now been closed, the route description was not accurate enough – we walked wrong three times, so we left the last round of the walk. Unfortunately, no QR codes to free GPS tracks in the book (as is customary nowadays); You can, however, buy it separately (€ 2.49) via Wandelzoekpagina.nl (annual subscription € 13.49). But yes, to have to pay again if you have already purchased a book of almost 28 euros. That is why it is extra unfortunate that the card printed in the book is just too small to be able to see exactly which path you should take.
Birds and vistas in less well -known Limburg
At Limburg you may automatically think of the extreme South point, that unique piece of ‘abroad’ where you can enjoy the hills and pie with coffee. But Limburg is a lot bigger than that, and has various beautiful areas that deserve to be discovered. Thank you for publishing the published irregularly a guide of that other Limburg: Walk through Rural Limburgwritten by their star author Rob Wolfs (who also participated in the book described above). The Leudal, northwest of Roermond, is without a doubt one of the most enchanting places: those who are going to walk here at a quiet moment will experience a deep happiness when you see so much beauty. It goes up and down, with a winding stream under you that you would expect earlier abroad. The bird concert on this early Sunday morning is phenomenal. We hear the middle and small spotted woodpecker, the great thrush, raven and Wielewaal, to name just a few excellent species. And enjoy a large yellow wagtail twice, hipping in and next to the meandering stream full of boulders, which feels optimally at home in a ‘foreign’ water like this. That the beaver also likes to stop here, not only prove the many roaming tree trunks and dams in the water, we also see the entrance to a castle. And the whole stream long you have a chance to win the bright blue flash of the kingfisher. We only doubt once, but thanks to the GPS (here for free) we do not go wrong for 13 kilometers long.
Walk two (12 kilometers) leads to the Rijk van Nijmegen, including the Zevendal. It sometimes seems as if we are walking in South Limburg, because you can count that you have to climb here. The area has several ‘mountains’ that you sometimes have to get on and off through steep slopes – an excellent exercise for the mountain holiday this summer. The Mookerheide offers fine views and from the 80 meter high Kiekberg you will be treated to views to Groesbeek and Germany. Part of the route is an official quiet area, but also outside it is enjoying a wonderful peace.
In the preface we read that the author wanted to deal with the prejudice that Northern and Central Limburg are only areas that you have to drive through to get to South Limburg. As far as we are concerned, he has succeeded very well with this book.
Only the sound of birds
For those who like silence and nature, walking is one of the finest pasture. It becomes very beautiful if that nature is visited relatively little by other enthusiasts and you can really experience that silence – which is not obvious in our country. How nice it is that in the roots series the collection recently The most beautiful silence walks in the Netherlands appeared. The makers selected sixteen walks in nature reserves that are either part of an official quiet area or are in a very quiet area, such as the Springendal in Overijssel. From the preface: “By walking, the hustle and bustle you experience – thoughts, unrest, stress – naturally less. After each step you feel a little lighter and army. And the quieter you become, the more you hear. Singing a robin, the cracking of an age -old oak, the soft chatter of a stream that you pass.”
In Drenthe is the Dwingelderveld, in the book characterized as ‘Africa in Drenthe’. An excellent choice to include this walk (14.3 kilometers, easy to shorten to 9.7): we walk here on Sunday morning (ok, very early) and hardly anyone come across. Occasionally we stand still with spit ears because we cannot bring a bird sound immediately, otherwise it is perfectly quiet. What a wonderful area, with heaths as far as you can look, but with more pieces of forest and fine trees than, for example, the more famous, not far away from Fochteloërveen. The walk is also varied – we pass various fens and streams, walk past crooked old trees and conclude that the route also takes us past places just outside the Dwingelderveld, where probably hardly ever comes – except the owner of this book. And in exactly such an unknown spot we enjoy no less than eight apple finches, while deeply hidden the yellow bunting between the branches.
A totally different kind of walk in terms of landscape is it in the Amerongse Bos on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, located in the southern part of this area of nature after the Veluwe. Here you will find many huge dams, 150,000 years ago caused by advancing ices. The route (9.7 kilometers) runs, among other things, along the Amerongse Berg, also the highest point of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, plus beautiful viewpoints. The vegetation is nice and varied: we pass both foliage and pine trees, heaths and dark parts full of beautiful ferns.
This walk is also perfectly described, with fantastic clear map. This book does what it promises. In this well -known and well -attended area, the makers consciously opted for quieter paths – even on this sunny Sunday we do not meet any whole pieces. A book of which you want to have all walks once walked.
