Noordwijk Beach to Visserhaven Scheveningen – 24th July 2025
A long trek to get started and although it was only 25 degrees I was a bit slapped by the sun by the time I got to the finish. We don’t really think of this part of the world having nice beaches but they just continue on from those in Belgium, an almost continous stretch of sand from Le Treport in France to Bremmerhaven in Germany – if you count the Frisian Islands and ignore the odd mega port interrupting things.
Leaving Noordwijk. Loads of people, which is to be expected I suppose – a bright day in the summer.It doesn’t show yet but on the hazy horizon The Hague,The promenades all have the obligatory art works. This one contains a woman and dolphin-like things but I just see a smurf punching the head off another smurf.Guys hiding in a waggon shooting? But the important thing is what’s behind it. As in Belgium, the solution to the car parking problem is to bury it under the landscape. Those dome-like things are the entrances.A beer festival in Katwijk aan Zee it seems. Supported by the church?Now we can see The Hague in the distance. Some tractor has come druing the night up and down the beach. Doing what? thought I, Turns out the answer in a mile or so was to deposit small mounds peebles. Don’t seem to have any function. Just sad lonely piles of stones.The seagulls are well bold. Don’t even fly away when you walk through them.Still many miles to go. Although it is hot, I’m glad that I am not doing this at 34 degrees. This section of seven miles has nowhere for a break or shade.The tied up lion and the mouse. I thought it was just a thorn in the paw, but not here. Here the mouse is Houdini.The lighthouse in Scheveningen looking quite phallic which is apt given it’s long association with those gays.The small bike park.
Let’s face it, I do like a beach and a stroll by the sea for an hour or so. Today was too much beach and not enough not break. Miles of it then a small rest at Katwijk aan Zee then far too many more miles, a very necessary break – from the sun – then even more to the finish. I was much too exhausted when I finally reached The Hague, way too tired to take a detour and visit the Kunstmuseum. Sad. At my age viewing their exhibits would be as close as I’m getting to any.
