Tue, 9 February 2010
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Our cultural blogger Graham Jackson tries out the Dutch pastime of strolling on the mudflats and finds that even a persistent sea breeze cannot dampen his enthusiasm.With the oncoming of spring I’ve been contemplating what typical Dutch activities are on offer to enhance my experience of living in the Netherlands. Having recently celebrated a year of residence in the country, it’s reassuring to no longer feel so constrained by the limitations of my Dutch.
Slowly, the language is becoming more and more a part of my character. Less inhibition has made me realise that there is so much of this land that I’ve yet to explore. Sure, I’ve seen most of what Wageningen and the surrounding Veluwe has to offer; I’ve wandered along the winding streets of Amsterdam and Delft; I’ve camped in ‘mountainous’ Limburg; I’ve learned about the history of Dutch civilisation at the Openluchtmuseum in Arnhem; I’ve seen how people still live by traditional methods in Marken. But what are the traditional Dutch pastimes?
So far, the standout Dutch experience has been traipsing across the soggy terrain of the mudflats of the Wadden at low tide. The beauty of protected nature reserve provides a rich backdrop to the walk; participating in the activity of wadlopen is a peaceful yet physically strenuous example of outdoor Dutch culture. Receiving the opportunity as a birthday gift last year, my girlfriend and I incorporated the day of wadlopen into a short holiday spent discovering the northern most reaches of the Netherlands.
Photo: Waddenzee wadlopers by Pieterburen.
The recreational side of wadlopen dates back to the early 20th century. For those unfamiliar to this pastime, wadlopen consists of a lengthy (13km in four hours) and often demanding stroll across the mudflats – in our case it was towards the small uninhabited island of Rottumeroog.
The positioning of the coastal islands results in the emergence of vast mudflats at the lowest tide. This provides enough time to cross over the banks of sand deposits and through the sea channels on foot and reach the islands. The return leg is markedly easier–due to the incoming tide the group must return by boat. This journey lasts longer than the walk itself, as the captain must carefully navigate a winding path through the narrow and shallow channels, in order to reach the port.
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