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Veluwezoom, 2 September 2026
Imagine a green forest where the sun shines through the leaves of large trees, where warm sunlight touches your face which does not completely sun blind you as in the corner of your eye you spot a squirrel hopping over a branch, a great spotted woodpecker which is pecking at the wood and where the tiniest birds fly around you. They are fast, fast enough not to completely spot and name them.. Is it an Eurasian skylark, a red robin or a treecreeper? Once you walk deeper into the forest you might even spot the shadow of a deer. A place where the mossy forest ground under your feet turns into a purple fashion runway. The green forest has completely transformed into a bright purple heathland with purple hills higher then the horizon.. You are thinking is this a fairytale or is it a dream? No worries, I will tell you.. This is real! We now have official #heathfever and after watching our Silent Hiking movie so will you! Yes, it is contagious..
This movie is about Nationaal Park Veluwezoom, and during the #heathfever period (August-September) a must visit. It's about 1,5 hour drive from Amsterdam and it was actually our first time here as this area is very famous which attracts a lot of people. During filming we had a lot of Instragram vs reality moments where we waited a couple of minutes to take our shot, we took our time. Nature's beauty is free to visit for everyone and therefore very challenging for us to capture nature's silence of the heathland on film!
The area is protected by Natuurmonumenten and is maintained by sheeps, Iceland pony's and Scottish cows. They can come very close and even the Iceland pony's walk on the pedestrain paths. They are grazing to keep the Veluwezoom with open heath and promote biodiversity as their fertilizers are nutrients to the heath and forest. As a result, the heath continues to grow and blooms almost every year. Reptiles, insects, and birds are drawn to the heath, together they ensure that nature endures which we are allowed to enjoy too.
Imagine sitting in the picture, with your back against the stem of the tree where you feel the texture while you are reading a book or listning to the sounds of nature.. Do you agree that the Veluwezoom today in it's full bloom totally looks from another world? We had the feeling we were in a fairytale. It was very nice to film on this location as almost every corner is beautiful and worth taking a shot. We really took our time sometimes even waited 10min to take a shot..) and spend around 8 hours walking in the purple heathland. A beautiful Silent Hikers day outside. There are many walking routes starting from the Visitor Centre of Natuurmonumenten or near the area. We probably combined two of the purple with white dot inside and made it our own route but in the end we had the feeling we have seen almost the whole area! Therefore unfortunately it's a bit difficult to explain the complete route but which route you decide to take it is totally worth hiking here!
It's funny how things go.. Do you remember the story of last month where we were chasing deer? This time we weren't searching them but one of them came accros in the distance during the golden hour. Lucky us!! We really believe as long as you live in the moment and look at your surroundings you can see some magic of nature. This day really felt like we took the right path into a fairytale story where we have captured most of the surroundings so we can share it with you so you can enjoy the magic too. All the colors we found along the way, walking in the golden hour and the wild animals we have spotted during this fairytrail, yeah, it was so, so much fun to edit the movie and shorts. While creating them we got inspired to write a small little poem. Nature in particular can make you slow down and notice small moments, transforming what you see into a story or a feeling. In that way, a place can become more than a beautiful location, it can become the beginning of the next step you want to take in your life. Let us know if you like Nature's purple beauty through our lens by giving a like to our movie or support us by becoming a patron.
See you outside!
- Tim and Dorien
"Once upon a time, you wander through a forest green,
where sunlight dances softly through the leaves unseen.
The trees whisper gently in the summer breeze,
while birds sing above and hum among the bees.
You slow your steps, you pause, you kneel,
to capture every moment that you feel.
Somewhere in the distance, a deer walks into golden light,
a fleeting glimpse of magic before it fades into the night.
The deeper you wander, the stranger the forest grows,
as every step reveals a world nobody knows.
The green beneath your feet begins to fade from sight,
replaced by purple hills glowing in the fading light.
They stretch beyond the trees, as far as you can see,
and for a moment, you wonder where you're meant to be.
Did you wander through a hidden door,
into a world you'd never seen before?
Could this be a forgotten fairytale,
where purple hills rise beyond the trail?
But there is no magic spell, no enchanted kingdom here,
no castle in the distance, no dragon to fear.
Just nature at her finest, wild, peaceful and free..
and perhaps that is the greatest fairytale there could ever be."
5 September 2026
Silent Hikers
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