Shoes tied, walking sticks ready and a banana in the backpack, the Drentse Wandel 4-Days has started again. This morning the village of Exloo colored in all shades of raincoat, because thousands of hikers set off for day one of the trip.
Young and old, from all over the Netherlands and even from across the border, they make it a festive Four Days Marches together.
“I thought; ten kilometers, Grandpa still has to be able to handle that,” laughs 75-year-old Frank Cliné from Odoorn. The 79-year-old Kees Fransen will also be walking along in the coming days. “We used to be running, cycling, I cycled thousands of kilometers. But yes, at some point you get older, and then walks. And that’s great too!”
While one walker enjoys the peace in the woods, the other is looking for company. “I am not necessarily sporty,” Kliné admits. “I’d rather sit at home with a book. But this? This is nice. A little walk, fresh air, people around you.”
In the meantime, the organization is running at full speed. Sterre Niland has been on the rope from seven in the morning. “And then the first walkers arrived. Fantastic to see how enthusiastic everyone is.”
Together with co-organizer Stijn Rolink, she is working hard on the future of the event. “Next year we want a theme per day. We deleted the 40 kilometers this year, that was difficult to organize. But the 30 kilometers is now the most popular, and with the 20 and 10 there is something for everyone.”
And the weather? It remains the Netherlands. “We expect a shower,” says Sterre with a smile, “but we are not from sugar!” Walker Paula Lamboo has also taken her precautions. “I have a rain jacket and a hat with me.”
Cliné also keeps his umbrella in the attack. Today he sticks to a walk of ten kilometers. “You are getting a day older,” he laughs. “But if things are going well today, I’ll just stick to it tomorrow.”