Tuesday 30 April 2013
| Distance (km) | 12 kms | |||
| Distance (time) | 3 hrs | |||
| Hard / Soft surface | 80% / 20% | |||
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| Weather |
 →  11° 6 Bft
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While everybody is glued to the TV to see the coronation of our new king Willem Alexander, we decide to go for just another walk. And so we take the bus to Rockanje were we get out at the Bad Hotel stop: yesterday's end point. As we expect a lot of tarmac road again today we decided to just our running shoes again.
We walk along the outer side of Rockanje where we appreciate the large and fine houses found here. Shortly after leaving Rockanje the route suddenly turns right into the dunes. At the fence a sign shows a pair of rubber boots with the message that those are particularly recommended. Oops, we're wearing running shoes today.... But then, how bad can it be? The path climbs straight up the dune and we're mostly suffering from loose sand, not really material for which rubber boots are required. Then the path descends for a pleasant beach walk. There is little wind but it's grey and even a bit foggy. Nevertheless a nice surprise. We continue to the beach house to leave the beach there to the left. By now our shoes are full of sand and so we need a break to take shoes and socks of from some cleaning. Passing underneath the N57 trunk road the GR5 turns right to slowly ascent the Haringvliet dam. With my fear of heights I already find this dam unpleasant to pass by bicycle and I now find out that crossing it on foot is hardly better. I'm happy to make it to the other side, also because the wind it picking up making it rather cold on the dam. Before even reaching the village of Stellendam we have to turn right again, followin a cycle path, again passing underneath the N57. Here we get the wind straight in our faces and that's pretty cold. Fortunately the path soon gets some shelter from dunes. The route leaves the road and crosses an open pasture towards the hamlet Havenhoofd from where we go straight south towards Goedereede. Finally the sun manages to get through the foggy clouds and with tailwind it almost feels like spring. In Goedereede we can't resist to walk into the town centre to see if any wild King's Day festivities are going on. Well, a party tent where somebody is live abusing a guitar, a hotdog stand and a beer tent with some chairs is about all the excitement. But ok, just for the atmosphere we enter a café for a coffee and apple pie before heading for the bus stop. We're too far from home for a direct bus so we have to first take the bus to Hellevoetsluis where we change to the bus to Spijkenisse. |
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