Walking Across the Netherlands
A Walking Expedition without Hills!
In August 2019, I left Australia for the Netherlands. For the next three years I'll be studying in The Hague; and I upon arrival I thought of a great way to get a first-hand experience of this new country: Walk Across the Netherlands.
My route would take me from Venlo, near the German border, to the great port city of Rotterdam. A total of 100 miles (160km) in five days to be walked in a brand new pair of running shoes- a bad idea.
Day 1.
Waking up at 3:30 am and walking to Den Haag HS train station, I could already tell that the shoes and feet were going to be an issue on this trip. I slept on the 4-hour train ride to Venlo, a historic trading city which became a huge center of business in the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th Century. Now, it's known just as a city where trains to Germany stop. Crossing the bridge over the River Meuse, I headed East through both peaceful forests and villages, and the noisy train tracks and motorways. I walked across the state of Limburg into North Brabant. Venlo to Deurne - 30km.
Day 2.
Another day of peaceful forests and farms today. The pleasant views of green fields, oak trees, horses, deer, and beautiful cottages were soured by the overwhelming stench of cow feces (or it could have been my B.O.). After about 20km I felt a sharp pain in my left heel, 5km later the same feeling in my right. I pressed on to the campsite telling myself 'pain is just an illusion'. Perhaps that's true, but the two popped blisters causing the pain were real. Deurne to Schijndel - 36km.
Day 3.
Wake up 3 am. I had a marathon to walk today. They say drinking in the morning is something to be avoided, but these blisters were really hurting and I had some Bundaberg Overproof Rum with me, and if I could just numb the pain until I reached a supermarket selling paracetamol. The rum improvisation worked, and after the paracetamol kicked in a flew across the Brabantish farms, dodging wasps that adored the cricket shirt I was wearing. Schijndel to Andel - 41km.
Day 4.
Sleeping in after yesterday's monster walk, the blisters had worsened so I bought some duct tape to strap them up. I was offered a lift by a nice woman who told me I was walking like a cripple. Despite this crippling (hahaha) blow to my ego, I kept on hobbling over busy bridges and past elderly walkers chuckling to themselves that they could walk faster and better than an 18-year-old lad. I crossed North Brabant into Gelderland. As I was passing many more people, some would stop me and speak Dutch to me. My response was always, "Ik spreek geen Nederlands. Ik loop van Venlo naar Rotterdam." This translates to 'I don't speak dutch. I am walking from Venlo to Rotterdam." to which a confused face would be the usual response. Andel to Dordrecht - 32km.
Day 5.
Crossing Gelderland into South Holland, I strapped up my blisters once more and pressed on through Dordrecht to the outskirts of Rotterdam, in the process meeting the one and only Robin van Persie outside the Feyenoord Rotterdam training complex, who in his prime was the best striker in the world. Reaching Rotterdam's famous Erasmusbrug, I ended my journey with a Heineken looking over the Rhine river flowing to the North Sea. Dordrecht to Rotterdam - 23km.
You can view my Instagram story for more pictures of the trip. Just tap 'Walking Holland' on the highlights bar.
https://www.instagram.com/georgekefford/?hl=en
