![\"\"](\"https:\/\/naturetc.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/IMG_9741kl.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tIn early January we spent a few days touring Schouwen-Duivenland. This was not the first time and it certainly won't be the last because it really feels like coming home. On day 1 we already spotted a seal off the coast near Renesse, so that was a good start. We slept in Nieuw-Haamstede, near the lighthouse. From there no marked routes start but the \"green\" Boswachtersroute does pass by. We decided to walk this route partially and combine it with the ' purple' route making a walk of about 12 kilometers. A nice distance for a cold and rainy day. <\/p>\n\n\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tAfter walking a little bit through the village from the hotel, we passed the lighthouse and then went straight uphill into the dunes. By the way, this part of the route is closed from March 15 to July 15 because of the breeding season, but we won't be bothered by that in January. The first part you walk through the often high dunes on a narrow sandy path. With one time beautiful views of the lighthouse and then again on the vast dunes. <\/p>\n\n\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tThen suddenly there is a dilapidated bunker from World War II. This came just in time because it started to rain heavily and now we could take shelter. Just in front of the bunker was a piece of moss with small mushrooms. Fortunately my camera and lens can withstand rain and sand so I took a picture anyway because it looked so beautiful. Then we continued on through the dunes and because the sun came out just as we were passing a nice viewpoint, we decided to sit down for a drink. This was the first time we used our sitting mats and it worked out great; nice and warm and dry. And the view of the somewhat lower dunes, with small ponds of water here and there was fantastic.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tAfter the somewhat tiring part through the sand in the dunes, the route (by now the purple poles) continued through the forest and along a nice pond with some ducks and even a kingfisher. Woodpeckers and robins are also common here. The forest was planted a long time ago and consists mainly of old Corsican and Austrian pines and is very beautiful to walk through because of the differences in height.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tThen another short distance through the dunes towards the beach (green poles). Our choice to walk the route clockwise worked out well because we had the strong and cold wind at our backs and that was just a little bit better. The beach in winter is also lovely, nice and quiet and relaxing. On this part of the beach there are regularly rows of poles, I think to keep the sand from washing away too much. On these poles cormorants are resting and letting their wings dry, beautiful sight.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tJust in time we see the pole where we have to go back up into the dunes. There follows a steep climb through the loose sand, but once at the top we have a beautiful view. The last part goes through the village again and back at the hotel a well-deserved cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream awaits us!<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tThe next day we did a 'multi-color walk' from Burgh-Haamstede. In other words, we just were doing whatever. Just wandering along the trails and seeing where we ended up. Also nice and when we were almost back to the parking lot we saw a couple of young deer. What a nice ending!<\/p>\n\n\n\n