{"id":836,"date":"2025-05-19T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-19T12:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/footstepsoffreedom.nl\/?p=836"},"modified":"2025-06-11T22:31:01","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T20:31:01","slug":"a-tough-trail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/footstepsoffreedom.nl\/en\/a-tough-trail\/","title":{"rendered":"A tough trail"},"content":{"rendered":"

May 19, 2024<\/p>\n

After a long, lazy morning, I set off late\u2014but that\u2019s allowed now, I tell myself with a smile. The trail is tough today. Stunning, but really tough. It\u2019s a wildly uneven forest path full of bumps, dips, and constant changes in elevation. Probably the hardest route so far, but I\u2019m feeling fit and cheerful, and all in all, I\u2019m handling it well.<\/p>\n

Then, after those tricky forest trails, there\u2019s yet another challenge: the Nydala boardwalk. It\u2019s made of two narrow planks\u2014just too narrow for my Wheelie. The only option is to do a wheelie with the Wheelie! That means balancing it on one wheel across the planks. Not easy, but I manage. Still, I suspect I\u2019ll be feeling it in my muscles tomorrow\u2014keeping that cart balanced takes real effort. But what a beautiful trail, what a remarkable natural area. Off the planks, the ground is marshy\u2014you really can\u2019t walk there. The landscape is breathtakingly open. I don\u2019t think the photos quite do it justice, but trust me, it\u2019s stunning. And the silence! Not a single bird to be heard\u2014it\u2019s almost deafening.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s warm today, and as luck would have it, just when I get hungry around 4 p.m., I \u2018happen\u2019 to pass the perfect spot to cook. There\u2019s water, there\u2019s shade, a bench, and even a crate I can use as a cooking surface.<\/p>\n

And the day just keeps giving. After walking a little farther, I arrive right on time at a beautiful little beach, where I take my first dip. The water is wonderful\u2014especially at the surface. What a feeling! The beach is near a school and not far from a village, so I\u2019m not completely alone, but that\u2019s fine. There\u2019s enough space, and I find a slightly hidden spot to pitch my tent, where I soak in a magnificent sunset.<\/p>\n