Netherlands > Walking in Dwingelderveld

The Noordster campsite is located right next to the Dwingelerveld National Park. This nature park is one of the smallest in Drenthe, but also one of the most beautiful. I get up early to enjoy the sunrise with two friends. At 7:30 we head into the forest. From the campsite, we follow the white-arrow trail. Along the way, we pass beautiful ponds, their water lying perfectly still. Because we are talking, we might be making too much noise to spot any wildlife. We are therefore very surprised when we spot two deer between the trees. They look at us just as curiously as we look at them.

Netherlands - One of the small ponds in the Dwingelerveld nature reserve

After five kilometers, we are back at the campsite—just in time for a guided walk with a walking coach through the nature reserve. Margaretha is a colleague of Marian and coaches people while walking. She takes our small group of five into the Dwingelerveld. We start on the opposite side of the park, near Spier. During the walk, she has us do a few exercises to make us more aware of our surroundings.

Netherlands - A hike through the Dwingelerveld

Perhaps because of that, and because we talk less, I become more conscious of the sounds around me. Margaretha is from the area and knows the most beautiful spots in the park. We encounter a flock of sheep and pass several small ponds. I find this a fun combination and a great way to explore the Dwingelerveld. After more than two and a half hours, we return to the parking lot. At the adjacent Van der Valk restaurant, we order lunch. The weather is perfect for sitting on the terrace. The rest of the afternoon I don’t do much. I lie down on my bed and fall asleep. Two hours later, I wake up again. For dinner, we finish the leftovers—soup with fried rice and yogurt for dessert. On the sports field next to our cabin, the stage for the talent show is being set up.

Netherlands - Together at the campsite in Dwingeloo

All the brave kids perform. Our terrace becomes the gathering place for the parents to come and get coffee. After the show, everyone settles in. People bring drinks, crackers, and chips from their own tents. It’s a cheerful evening with much of the group—after all, there are nine families here. At eleven o’clock, everyone heads back to their own tents. It is, after all, a campsite where noise can easily disturb neighboring tents. Marco and I do the dishes—practically all the crockery we had in our cabin was used.