Drunense Duinen Oct 9am 161030_1036.flac

Ambience of the edge between Sand dunes and forest on a calm autumn Sunday morning in National Park ‘Loonse en Drunense Duinen’ in the Netherlands. Unedited track.

Starts with in the distance the church-bells of several surrounding churches calling to come to the service. In the forest (right-hand) some far ATB bikers chat some time. The dunes (left) are, except of some passing people, totally empty.
It’s a calm place. You have to run, bike, walk a while to come here. No cars allowed. Nice to hear the echo in the forest of the geese flying over me.

It was a wonderful morning. Welcome in audio here. Oh, and the picture. ;-)

About the area, national park Loonse en Drunense Duinen

(Text by Irma de Potter,Ranger of this area) Dutch website: https://www.natuurmonumenten.nl/natuurgebieden/nationaal-park-loonse-en-drunense-duinen

In the Loonse en Drunense Duinen you will find forest, heathland and especially a lot of sand. It is one of the largest shifting sand areas in Western Europe. The wind can blow undisturbed in many places, resulting in an ever-changing landscape. By purchasing it in 1921, it has been protected for 100 years and we can still enjoy this Brabant Sahara today.

You can roam freely on the sand plain. So there is plenty of room to explore extensively. Marvel at the submerged trees, enjoy the chirping field crickets and quench your thirst at one of the many cafes or restaurants on the edge of this nature reserve. Walking, cycling or on horseback: it's all possible here. With the wind in your hair and the sand in your shoes. You may even come across the sheep herd. The sheep keep the heath short and eat away saplings. This is how they keep the area open.

The Loonse en Drunense Duinen still has 270 hectares of shifting sand. That sand creates rather extreme conditions: the soil is dry and nutrient-poor. The difference in temperature between day and night can be as much as 50 degrees Celsius. This ensures a unique flora and fauna. The animals and plants have adapted or feel at home in drought, aridity and temperature fluctuations. Sand sedge and various lichens, for example. And the viviparous lizard, sandpit beetles and sand bees. All species that love sand.

In the last Ice Age, the polar winds blew sand from the north to Brabant, where it remained in thick packages. For a long time this sandy plain was covered with primeval forests. Until the fourteenth century the trees were felled by people. They used the wood as fuel. The bare plain was filled with heather, where the farmers grazed their cattle. This intensive grazing and the sod cutting of the soil depleted the soil. This gave the sand free play. For a long time, the sand was a major problem for the residents. Villages and fields threatened to disappear under it. Trees were planted to stop the advancing sand. You can still see the traces of this today: find the submerged trees that only peak above the sand hills with their crowns.

Come and have a look!
http://www.holland.com/global/tourism/article/loonse-and-drunense-dunes.htm

For technicians: the gain was +60 dB (max) to make this recording possible. That quiet it was.

More here today / More around here during the years / Same spot, same day in 2022

Date/time: October 30th Sunday 2016, start 09.21 am

Weather: Wind NW 1bft, 9c, 1032 hPa, hum 90%, partly clouded and foggy. Mic pointed SE

Location; National Park Loonse en Drunense Duinen, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands (Holland), Europe, geotag: 51.6552 5.12799

Gear chain: Sennheiser mkh30/50 MS, in Rycote cyclone small, windjammer > Sound Devices 302 >Tascam dr-100 Mk2. Decoded Mid-side to STEREO

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