The River Vecht, part 3

Last week I finally got around to walking the third stretch of this international walk. I had done the first two bits in January and March, but lately I have been doing really well with longer distances and felt I could do this next bit. 

Is it a horse or is it a zebra?
I have to ask my Dad: he is an expert!

It was a stretch of just under 16 km (10 miles), but unfortunately I missed a sign at one point and overshot. Which in turn meant that I had to retrace until I found the sign (which was very clear by the way) and continue on the route. In the end the whole route was just a smidge under 20 km and only because I did a tiny detour in the end. 

Big Papa

I was tired after that. Tired and hurting. The knee is of course a constant nowadays, but I had also developed a blister on the sole of my foot. Regardless of that though: I did 19,77 km! I was very proud of myself I can tell you. 

They didn't cross the river itself, just a little offshoot.

Of course it isn't just the walking itself, I also like to see some stuff and this walk had plenty of that! There was of course the river itself, which we (I took Brom along) had a magnificent view of from a viewing tower. And only a bit later we were sat only a few steps from it. The cows in the field just beside us were beef cattle and not used to people, so they (led by Big Papa) decided to move away.

I think the bigger tractor was spraying some sort of pesticide

We crossed the river a bit later on and from that moment we didn't really see it again. The official name of this long distance walk is The Valley of the Vecht walk, so you do get a lot of walking in the area on either side of the river, not necessarily right beside.

With a distinct smell of cow (which were right behind us)

We got to the small village of Vilsteren and that's where I went wrong. Instead of turning left and into the woods, I kept walking along the main road. Which in turn led me to a farm with ice cream and a toilet. If I had checked properly there, I would have only done an extra few hundred meters. As it was: about 3,5 km. 

I had my doubts already as I didn't see any signs for my route when there were side roads, but it didn't click properly until I really checked and realised: I shouldn't have crossed the railway. Which I had. There was nothing else for it: I had to retrace and find the turning off point. 

I did find it again and from then the walk became more of a trudge. Those extra km had sapped the energy it seemed. The fact that the temperature by then was soaring to about 25 degrees C (77 F) did not help either. But I did get closer as I could see on my phone. 

The boarded up entrance to a former ice house.
Excuse the finger!

Eventually I saw the path to the train station from where I would catch the train to get back to my car. It had taken me over 5 hours of actual walking and closer to 6 hours including stops. The journey back by train took 8 minutes!

Art at the station in Ommen

The next stretch is about 20 km, although I might do a little deal with my Dad and split it in two. But that is not for a while yet. First to recover from blister and knee.

Staying close

A whole row of bug hotels

I don't have to go far to find some nice walks, but the walks in my neighbourhood are always similar or the same to each other, so I decided that today I would get the car out and drive. Although still not too far, it was only a fifteen minute drive and I had arrived. I had put it in my head that the walk would be about 8,5 km, which of course was wrong. When I checked right before I took my first step, it was supposed to be 6,7 km.

Either way, the walk was lovely. It led me through a small village and its pretty nice outskirts. Some wooded areas and back into the village. On the way I had a spot of lunch, forgot my camera on a fence post and had to trace back my steps, saw some goslings (farm, not wild) and the cutest little pony baby. I mean, it was like there was a massive arrow over its head saying: CUTE!

A friend of mine is always going out walking and finding ice creams all over the country side. Not sure how she does it. Although today I did see a farm shop selling ice cream (among others), I had only just finished my lunch and wasn't feeling like it. Yet. Because once I got back to the village there was ice cream to be had. White chocolate and raspberry. A good end to a lovely walk.

April

This was taken on Easter Monday

Remember what I said last week? About that glorious sunshine and lovely temperature? Well, it is hard to remember what it felt like as only days later, the weather had turned completely. The temperatures plummeted to close to zero again and instead of a lovely summer breeze, there was now a gale force wind. Instead of a light summer shower, it was now hail and snow. 

Despite that, I did think it was a good idea to get out and walk. On occasion definitely thinking that I had gone completely mad. But, I wanted to try out my new shoes and I must admit to having that virtual stick behind the door as well. Which can only mean good things. Right?

The new shoes worked a treat. They were higher than I was used to (up to the ankle), but I found them very comfortable. In fact, my first walk in them was nearly 12 km (I miscalculated) and only at the end dit it start to be a bit iffy. Mainly due to the length of the walk and the fact that the shoe is very different from the other pair.

Then the day before yesterday I went out again. This time with a goal of nearly 12 km. And the iffyness was back within one kilometer. My ankles are not used to high boots and the knuckle of my ankle definitely not. When I finally got home after a so-so walk (wind and a lot of hail showers), there was a massive bruise on the knuckle of my right ankle. 

Spotted on one of my local walks, this was hanging outside

I went back to the store I got the shoe from and after a lot of prodding and such, we found that the shoe in and of itself was not to blame. Me going for those long walks without being used to ankle highs was more of a bother. So, now I wait until the bruise is not painful anymore and then I will start walking again in the boots. Shorter distances, so my ankles will get properly used to them. After that I can go longer distances again. In the mean time, the longer distances will be done with my other shoes.

Other than that, not much news. Well apart from the fact that my Dad got his first jab, we have gone solar and Brom wants to know when our walking holiday starts.

The weather

Real choppy water

Last Saturday I went for a walk. I had checked the weather app I have and it told me that it would be fine. Ish anyway. So, I made my way to the small village where I would start from and started walking. And it was fine. Until the rain came down, and the hail. But, no worries: it stopped again after only a few minutes. 

You must be mad, walking outside!
Better stay in a nice warm barn like me...

This pattern of rain/hail and fine weather continued throughout my walk. Which lasted over two hours. But that was not the end of it. Because there was also wind. A lot of wind. In fact, so much wind that on occasion I had difficulty staying on the road or path or dyke (I had all three versions). 

I took plenty of sky photos on Saturday.
This was what it looked like most.

On Sunday I had planned to go out again, but the walk on Saturday had left me feeling utterly drained and tired. Nothing to do with the distance really (9,5 km), but all to do with that wind. 

Blue skies. Aaaaahhhh

Then came Monday. The weather was glorious, my legs felt fine, I felt fine, my hair had been cut nice and short again (I know, not really the point, but I thought I would mention it anyway). Where to go though? Stay in the area? Go somewhere different? 

That church was my starting point. This was 3 km away.

Just out of curiosity I asked my parents how far it was to a small village I had seen signposted at work. My Dad immediately got out his phone and tried to find the answer. 18 km. Too much for me. Hold on, that's by car going the long way round. It's only 8.5 km. Well....

Northern Lapwing (kievit): a sign spring is definitely here.

My Dad drove me to the village and dropped me off. The only thing I had to do then was walk home. Which I did. All 9,5 km, as I did a little tour around the church first and had slight deviations on the 'real' route. 

Right now I am tired. My legs feel tired. My head feels tired. Some of it to do with the wind (albeit not as fierce as on Saturday), most of it to do with the glorious sunshine. Blue skies, summery temperature, short sleeves. Brilliant!

Time flies

The front of the medal

Goodness me, time flies if you are not watching! Unless of course it's our living room clock, which seems to lose more time every day. 

And the back

Nothing much has changed here. Still walking. Still working. Still doing the same stuff I did last time. I did receive my first medal on Monday. Not sure what I had been expecting, but not the beautiful, intricate and heavy medal I got. I can't wait to get the next one, which is on its way as I write (Pyramids of Giza).

Another back

Last Sunday I went on a walk with my Dad. It was a great walk, which from a shoe point of view went perfectly. The area was great as well, and I even saw two 'nisser' or Scandinavian gnomes. Well, I say saw, but everybody knows that you cannot see them as they disappear into thin air then. So, these must have been faithful representations of them. 

A yellow-hatted nisse

Oh, my Dad got his call-up to get vaccinated. He will be stung in April. My Mum still has to wait and there is no telling when it's going to be my turn. Not even having a vital profession helps in that case...

I have also started reading a bit again. I have been hopelessly neglectful over the past few months and not even being a member of a book club helped in that. One book I never even started and another I did start, but it was Norwegian crime that I didn't read then and now realise why I didn't. Not my style or type at all. 

A toad crossing.
It goes underneath the road and saves toads
from getting run over during their trek back to mating grounds

I have started now again, also helped by the fact that it is my turn to host next time: A Robot in the Garden. A book that I read on the recommendation of Dorothy Jayne (Tiny Toadstool Cottage). A bit of a slow start, but once it got going...

That's it for now, hopefully I will have more to tell you next time. Or at least show you some nice photos...

Most photos taken during the walk with my Dad

The new favourite

The walks continued over this past weekend. On Friday I got out and did a local one. After only a short distance I realised the app wasn't recording any of it and every time I tried, I failed. I continued on the walk anyway and used the Health bit on my phone to see the final distance. Once home I deleted the app and reinstalled it, so I could use it on Saturday for the exact same walk.

Spot the hare

Well, it might have been the exact same walk, but the second time around it was not nearly as many kilometers. Less dithering obviously, but still: over half a kilometer? On Sunday I did some of the same walk and then extended it to include most of the areas of our suburb. In order (Fri-Sat-Sun), I walked 5,8-5,1-7,6 kilometers. Would I be able to do a longer distance on Monday as well?

Spot the four deer (number five is behind the branches already)

The only way to find out was to actually do it. I had found a walk a while ago already, but at the time thought it was too long for me. But now I am able to do longer distances without too much bother, I thought I would give it a go. And they only forecast a few drops here and there...

'Castle' Eerde, now an international school

The forecast was for where I live, not the place I was going, so once there, I got wet. Yes, I had my rain suit with me, but couldn't be bothered to put it on. My thin windbreaker jacket would have to be enough. Fortunately it was mostly showers, but it was a bit disheartening for the first bit. I did continue after my first smaller lap and in the end was glad to have done so as the surroundings were beautiful.

I could imagine this view 200 years ago, with the farm nearly invisible then too

The grounds of the main house were more or less as they would have been in centuries gone past. Smaller pastures, wooded areas, brooks. I thought some of the pastures might be higher because of man (better drainage?). By then the sun was coming out more and more as well and I got some stunning views. 

Do I prefer this photo?

As it was a Monday, there were barely any people about. Yes, on the smaller lap I did see several, but on the large lap: not a soul until I was almost done. For once I did catch some wildlife though. The hare and the five deer on the small lap around the house, the one deer on the large lap through the countryside. 

Or this one? Not sure, what do you think?

Of course, all the trees are still in winter mode, so this is definitely a walk to be done again once spring has sprung. And by then I can see whether the second time around it is still 9,9 km or whether that one as well be shorter!

All farmhouses that belong to the Castle have the same coloured shutters.

A solitary deer, perhaps the rest was hiding in the woods?

I started at N30, went anti-clockwise on the red route,
then the green route to the other red route (N58),
which I also followed anti-clockwise.
Then back to N30 and to my car.

The River Vecht, part 2

Part of the mural in the tunnel underneath the motorway

As I told you in January, I have found a route which will take me into Germany, along the River Vecht. I wanted to do the second instalment last week, but alas, the head intervened. So, this week it was. Written down and all in my agenda, only severe rain or another headache would stop me. 

Escape from the motorway

The head was okay today and the rain that was due to come in the morning never really materialised, so I packed my bag, got onto a bus and made my way to the point where I finished last time. I was literally going to pick up where I left the route.

The first bit led me along the motorway, but more importantly along a large cemetery. They were working on building more terraces for the Chinese part of it, so there was some heavy machinery interfering with nice photos. I tried though. 

First view of the river, downstream

Then, after only a kilometer or so, I got my first proper glance of the river. I cross this river every day if I have to work, so it's not unknown, but the route I took this time was. I got to the main path again that led me over the dike protecting those who live along the river from high water. I got off the dike again, then on again. Keeping the river in my sights.

I met some beautiful cattle on my way, and I saw plenty of birds. I then had to cross the river, which wasn't as I had pictured this walk in my head. I thought I would stay on one side of the river and would only cross on my third leg. 

The fish stairs

This crossing was a bit different though. Yes, there was a lock, yes there seemed to be a sluice gate, but also, there were fish stairs. I had heard of them, but for some reason didn't think I would see them. The fish stairs are shallow steps to allow fish to swim upriver without having to pass the lock or the sluice and endangering their lives. 

Artist: Paul van Laere

I also met a handsome little chap called 'Hannes of Dalfsen'. A young seal of six weeks old that had escaped from his zoo home in Germany and swum downstream for an adventure. He was captured here and a sculpture was made of him. Not sure what happened to him afterwards, the sign did not say.

The face is actually a bird house

From there I was on the other side of the river and I continued through farm land towards the village/town of Dalfsen. I knew I was going to the railway station to take the train back and could see it from quite far off. I still had about 2 km to go by then though!

Right next to the train station is a large piece of art called 'The Floating Rock' made by Bas Maters. It looks like an old column piece that carries a large boulder. Getting closer to the installation, you can see a hole in the roof of the boulder that looks as if the column has been sawn from it. But, it's not an old column piece and the boulder is not a boulder either. The whole thing is made from concrete and steel.

If you look closely to the right of the column, you can see the hole.

By the end of the walk, my legs felt like jelly, I had a blister on each of my little toes and I was glad to be able to sit down after nearly 13 km. The train arrived after only 6 minutes and when I got back to Zwolle, the bus home left within a minute of me getting on it. 

The mill in the center of Dalfsen

The next leg will be a bit longer though: about 15/16 km, as public transport is my way of getting back to either my car or home and not all villages boast a train station or even a bus stop. It will have to wait until more facilities (read café with toilet) are open again, so probably summer time. That way I can also train up a bit.