Between Kapenglop and Arnicaweide
Two days ago I promised you that I would write about this walk I did just before it started snowing. As yesterday we had fog my excitement got me carried away (again) and I forgot about my promise. But, with today’s post I make up for it. The walk took me over the oldest part of the island, with dunes that have eroded and have been acidified over their lifespan. What I learned is that young dunes when formed typically are quite alkaline and rich in calcium giving rise to specific vegetation. As they grow older the calcium is basically rained out; the older the dunes the more acidic they become and they also become somewhat dryer. The specific vegetation of young dunes disappears during this process. The older dunes of the island have been planted with Corsican pines to prevent corrosion many decades ago. These pines have now reached their age and are slowly dying, making place for younger vegetation like oaks and birch trees. So, while walking through this part of the island I encountered remnants of the wet dune valleys, pine forests and younger vegetation. It was quite a different walk from those the days before. As much as I enjoyed the quiet walk (maybe I encountered five people the entire day) it also felt like the least specific as pine trees and old dune valleys I can also find closer at home, like the Veluwe. Of course there are differences, but in a way they didn’t strike me as unique as the younger dunes, or the Wadden and North Sea coasts. I made some pictures nonetheless, here are my favourites. As you notice, I like photographing trees, although the young female pheasant was also a nice surprise. She actually belonged to a group of six pheasants, and they weren’t shy at all … this one came to about two meters close!
Enjoy!
Wim
