The second stage goes along the Meije

Last week I received the news that the plans to improve the road and the quay along the river De Meije have been postponed until May 1, 2022. De Meije or Meije is an elongated ribbon village in the Dutch Green Heart, along the river of the same name, De Meije. You don't want to know how happy I am with this, because I want to map out the stages as much as possible through the green landscape of the Netherlands. And the Meije should therefore not be missed during the Walk for Homs pilgrimage. 

Map out the route

I got up early in the morning and because public transport is a bit more difficult to get here, Roderick brought me. Very kind of him! When I had my new backpack on (Lowe Alpine Airzone Z Duo 30), I continued my pelgrimage  along the Kromme Mijdrecht towards the Woerdense Verlaat. A beautiful boat sailed with me towards the bridge. The boat got to the bridge earlier than I did, so I could enjoy the beauty of the boat and the surroundings even more. On the bridge I met a man who was also walking. We walked together for a bit and soon left it again, because our pace was slightly different and I still had about 25 kilometers to go. When the road ended my adventure began, because for the first time in my hiking career I had to climb over a fence to continue the route through the farmland.

The thought 'Is this okay?' came to visit several times. Only fear is your worst counselor, so I kept walking. Great to be able to defy a fence or cross a stream between the sheep, past a mill and old farms.

Queens Page

Once I arrived at the Woerdense Verlaat, I was again allowed to enjoy the area from where the fragment of the television program Kruispunt over Walk for Homs was recorded. Once I arrived at the Natuurmonumenten building, I saw a woman photograph a butterfly bush. I asked her if she took pictures for Natuurmonumenten, but she didn't. She took pictures for herself of the Queens Page (Papilio machaon), one of the largest butterflies found in Belgium and the Netherlands. So I decided to try and capture this butterfly myself.

River 'De Meije'

After this successful attempt I continued my way over the Meije. What a beautiful winding road this is, but svery long! You can marvel at its beauty after every bend. If you walk here outside the breeding season (15 March to 15 July 2021), choose Veldzichtpad just before the end on your left. The Veldzichtpad was opened in 2009. An unpaved footpath through the polders of Bodegraven-North. The peace, space and beautiful peat meadow landscape are highly recommended. But I keep walking, because it is breeding season and no less beautiful over the Meije.

Oude Bodegraafseweg

When I get to the end I walk towards Bodegraven. From the bridge I see a number of old houses on the canal, how fantastic it seems to me to be able to live in an old house on the water. But it stays with this view because I have to turn an other direction to continue my way through nature towards the end point of this beautiful route. And the last part is also beautiful over the Oude Bodegraafseweg. And at the end we will walk straight into the hotel and enjoy this second stage for a while.