20 Kilometers Through Dwingelderveld: From Fog to Sunshine

👁️ 45 times watched - posted 09 November 2025

There’s something magical about walking through Dwingelderveld National Park in autumn. The day began with a soft, silvery fog hanging low over the heathland — the kind that mutes all sound and makes every footstep feel like a secret. I started early, just as the first light crept through the mist, and for the first few kilometers, it felt like walking through a dream.

The landscape here is vast and open, a mix of heath, forest patches, and quiet pools of water that mirror the changing sky. In the early hours, spider webs glistened with dew between the heather, and the smell of damp earth filled the air. Every now and then, a lone tree or a wooden fence would appear out of the fog — like a painting slowly revealing itself.

As the morning faded, so did the mist. Around midday, the sun broke through, turning the landscape into a warm palette of gold, orange, and deep green. The heather, though past its peak bloom, still carried hints of purple, and the paths glowed under the sunlight. Birds began to sing again, cyclists appeared on distant trails, and the park seemed to wake up with me.

The 20-kilometer route wound through quiet forest paths and open stretches of heath, offering that perfect mix of solitude and scenery. I stopped by one of the small lakes for a break — the surface perfectly still except for a few ripples from the breeze. Sitting there, shoes dusty and legs tired, I felt that calm satisfaction that only a long walk brings.

By the time I finished the loop, the sun was low again, casting long shadows across the fields. The morning fog felt like a different world, yet it had shaped the mood of the entire day — mysterious, peaceful, and grounding.

Dwingelderveld in autumn is more than just a place to walk; it’s a reminder of how nature changes its rhythm, from misty silence to bright, open warmth — all in one day, all in one walk.