Tuesday, December 27, 2011

walking


Dunes National Park Zuid Kennemerland Noord Holland
It was a moment of breathing, open space is so precious. As we walked, in the far distance the chimneys of the Ijmuiden steel works billowed sky messages, planes sliced over the sky but we could hear the sea. The North Sea beach was crowded with people and happy dogs. Huge queues for the parking machines, many, many people buying chips in the only beach cafe- warm billows of fat frying. Back in the dunes the people dissipated and it felt roomy again.    

The land made me think of the Dutch 19th century painter Anton Mauve. He was very fond of sand hills and sheep all becoming a single entity. There were definitely sheep showing willing to pose for more paintings. The weather is crazily warm for the end of December.  
Sleeping sun lights vapour trails
We made it out of the park before it grew too dark and it returned to ownership of the sheep, horses and highland cattle who live there (to manage the dune landscape by keeping the grasses down).