Skip to content

FOOTSTEPS OF FREEDOM

  • Home
  • About Marnix
  • In touch
  • Dutch
  • English
  • Spanish

Author: Marnix van der Lijn

Ik ben Marnix (1964), schrijver, langeafstandswandelaar en minimalist in hart en nieren. Na een loopbaan in de commerciële wereld, coaching en training, en jarenlange inzet in de vluchtelingenopvang, koos ik op mijn zestigste voor een radicale wending: ik gaf mezelf een sabbatical en trok de wereld in – te voet. Wat begon als een plan om 10.000 kilometer door Europa te wandelen, groeide uit tot iets veel groters: een nieuwe manier van leven. In negen maanden legde ik meer dan 5.500 kilometer af, met alleen mijn tent, schrijfboek, wandelkar (die ik liefdevol ‘Wheelie’ noem) en mijn barefoot schoenen. Al lopend ontdekte ik dat dit mijn pad is: een nomadisch bestaan, schrijvend onderweg. Ik geloof in het ritme van de voeten, in eenvoud, traagheid en aanwezigheid. Reizen zonder haast, leven met weinig, en onderweg de verhalen vangen die zich aandienen. Mijn missie? De schoonheid van vertraging, vrijheid en verbondenheid tastbaar maken in woorden. Ik bén onderweg. En daar voel ik me thuis.

Holland, great country!

Published on 30 October 20261 November 2026 by Marnix van der LijnLeave a comment

Strategic shopping The first thing I do in Penamacor is strategic shopping. I won’t come across a supermarket for the next four or five days, so I need to carefully consider what I buy and… Lees meer…

Tags AldeiasHistoricasPortugal, GR22, langeafstandswandeling, Portugal, wildkamperen

In love, grumpy, and then happy as a lark

Published on 26 October 2026 by Marnix van der LijnLeave a comment

Spring The nights have become significantly colder, but the daytime temperatures are delightful again. The sun is shining with a fresh breeze; it’s ideal hiking weather. When I head out, it’s only ten degrees, but… Lees meer…

Tags AldeiasHistoricasPortugal, GR22, langeafstandswandeling, longdistancetrail, Portugal, Wildcamping, wildkamperen

How often do you actually talk to yourself?

Published on 25 October 2026 by Marnix van der LijnLeave a comment

Question 7: How often do you actually talk to yourself? I don’t do that. I love silence and hardly ever enjoy chatter in my head, unless it’s a deep, interesting conversation. Moreover, the spoken word… Lees meer…

Tags information, Questions don’t cost a thing

A slow start will cost you later

Published on 25 October 2026 by Marnix van der LijnLeave a comment

The luxury of running water I sleep fantastically by the sports field. I continue with a slooooowww start. It’s such a luxury when you have running water. I also make optimal use of the tap.… Lees meer…

Tags AldeiasHistoricasPortugal, GR22, langeafstandswandeling, longdistancetrail, Portugal, Wildcamping, wildkamperen

An icy cold and stormy night

Published on 24 October 2026 by Marnix van der LijnLeave a comment

It feels like the North Pole The night will go down in the books as one of the worst ever. The wind howls around my tent and it’s freezing cold. The feels-like temperature is 3… Lees meer…

Tags AldeiasHistoricasPortugal, GR22, langeafstandswandeling, langeafstandswandeling, Portugal, wildkamperen, wildkamperen

A day that just won’t go right

Published on 23 October 202623 October 2026 by Marnix van der LijnLeave a comment

Disgusting diesel Although my friends weren’t keeping me awake with the sprinklers, the nearby road certainly did. It turns out to be quite a busy road, and even at night there is traffic. I particularly… Lees meer…

Tags AldeiasHistoricasPortugal, GR22, langeafstandswandeling, longdistancetrail, Portugal, Wildcamping, wildkamperen

Posts navigation

Older posts
Newer posts

About Marnix

Marnix Footsteps of FreedomFrom May 2024 through January 2025, I hiked for nine months and 5,500 km across Sweden, Norway, Spain and Portugal. I came to the conclusion that this is how I want to live.

And so it happened… As of mid-May 2026, I am living a nomadic writing and hiking life in my tent, with my walking trailer and in barefoot shoes.

Instagram

Click here to follow Footsteps of Freedom on Instagram.

Archive

  • November 2026
  • October 2026
  • September 2026
  • August 2026
  • July 2026
  • June 2026
  • May 2026
  • April 2026
  • March 2026
  • May 2025

Recent comments

  • Marnix van der Lijn on Apple between my teeth
  • Luca on Apple between my teeth
  • Erich Duerr on Broken
  • Marnix van der Lijn on Why this blog – even if you hate hiking?
  • Erich Duerr on Why this blog – even if you hate hiking?

Categories

  • Blogs ENG

Tagcloud

AldeiasHistoricasPortugal AldeiasHistoricasPortugal Asking costs nix Austria Blogs ENG Borgleden Bulgarije Denemarken Denmark fourdayescape Germany GR22 GR22 Haervejen Hallandsleden Hiking Hungary Hærvejen information Information langeafstandswandeling long-distance hike longdistancetrail Netherlands Norway Portugal Portugal Questions don’t cost a thing sabbatical 2025 Serbia Servië Skåneleden SultansTrail Sweden The Netherlands Tunsbergleden Västra Götaland Wheelie Wildcamping Wild camping wildkamperen
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Mail
  • RSS
Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: Toujours by Automattic.
Scroll Up

  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • English
  • Español (Spanish)