Hiking with Bubble

Hiking at Nimmerdor and the SoesterDuinen.

Walking through Nimmerdor and the Soesterduinen has become one of my favorite routines—a simple way to reset and breathe a little deeper. Nimmerdor always feels like stepping into a quiet, green world of its own. The tall trees arch overhead, filtering the sunlight into soft patterns across the forest floor, and the winding paths invite you to wander just a bit farther than you planned. There’s a calm rhythm in the air, as if time slows down between the old oaks and the gentle rustle of leaves. My dalmatian, Bubble, trots happily beside me, but it’s really the landscape itself that makes each walk special. The forest has a grounding quality; even the air feels different—fresh, with a hint of pine and damp earth. It’s the kind of place where you unconsciously start to breathe more deeply. When we continue on to the Soesterduinen afterward, the scenery shifts in a way that feels almost dramatic. The open sand plains, the rolling dunes, and the wide horizon create a sense of space that you feel immediately. Sounds are softer there, absorbed by the sand, making it seem as though you’re standing in a natural cathedral of light and air. At the top of a dune, I always pause for a moment. The view stretches endlessly, the silence settles in, and it’s exactly that feeling—quiet, spacious, grounding—that makes every walk so worthwhile.