Join me for a virtual trip to the beach
Island Stories #37: A two minute video of cycling through the villages, dunes, and forest to the island's deserted beach.
Today is your chance to join me for a virtual trip to the beach in this two-minute video. I didn’t add a voice-over, but let me add a short description of what you see.
As on so many other summer mornings on the island, I wanted a morning swim in the North Sea. The video begins close to home; I cycle past the church of Haamstede, and to the right, you see the Haamstede Castle. A bit further, you will likely recognize the windmill that I have shown before on pictures on social media and in this newsletter.
The next church is in Burgh; these villages formed Burgh-Haamstede when the towns grew into one community along the street I’m cycling on. You see the first people going to the bakery that just opened at 8 am.
After about ten minutes (but just half a minute on the video), I follow the green country lane that leads to the dunes, where I pass a few Shetland ponies. The cycling lane then follows a route through the forest.
After about 20 minutes, I park my bike and walk through the forest and coastal dunes to reach the beach. Even though this is the top season for tourism, the beach is deserted. I swam, watched the seagulls and cormorants, searched for seashells, and went a few steps back into the sea to film the last shot before going home for my first coffee.
That’s the start of a beautiful day, with a plunge in nature and cold seawater. I hope it will be a similarly good day for you as well!
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A wonderful video and a great item to view on a brutally hot day on Long Island. Envious of your swim in the cold North Sea. Our Atlantic Ocean is much warmer. May the rest of your day be as glorious on the lovely isle.
A Sunny wake up call for me, watching you going to the beach riding on an iron horse . . . I bow, while passing the pretty church in the morning sun. On the bike path, a 'Hello' to the Shetland pony's Pow Wow, and ah, seeing two of them are grooming each other, how sweet! During the passage through forest the dunes and into the sea, I even picked up a Lighthouse in the distance, all during the thought of a refreshing dip (-:
Great video! 🌻