This time I had a day and a half to hike. Leaving on Saturday morning I had an appointment on sunday afternoon. A little more than a day’s hike was my focus.
I like RouteYou, I searched for a good spot on the map and I found it near Chaam. This is a small town near the Belgian border, not to far a drive from my place. I planned a route around Chaam, crossing the ‘Chaamse bossen’ (woods of Chaam) and the ‘Strijbeekse Heide’ (Moors of Strijbeek). The route turned out to be around 30 kilometers, a good distance for a day and a half. I used it for general directions, so I actually hiked a different route on places where I saw a better path. I also hiked the route backwards, this because then I would end my first day near a ‘pole-camp-spot’.
Day 1
I started out late the first day, around eleven I started hiking from my parking spot along the N639. It was cold, but forecast was that the day would warm up to a nice temperature with lots of sun. I hiked across the moors of Strijbeek into Belgium, walking along a small stretch of the smugglers road. The ice and the sun gave away nice pictures
From Belgium I had to hike a stretch of less natural environment, sandy roads between meadows. These roads brought me back to nature in the woods of Chaam. Walking through these woods I started looking for the first ‘pole-camp-spot’. This spot already had some campers, I would have fitted without problem, but I wanted to be alone, so I started out for the second spot.
3 kilometers further was the second ‘pole-camp-spot’. On the way there, two deers and some rabbits crossed the road about hundred meters in front of me. When I found the camping spot, there were campers on this one as well. So I walked on until I found a nice spot where I could truly be alone.
Temperature was dropping very fast. I pitched the tent as fast as I could and installed my sleeping mat and bag. Forecast was that it would be very cold that night, I slept with long underwear and fully clothed. The last hours of the night I actually put on my jacket as well in the sleeping bag, but by doing that I didn’t get cold.
Day 2
In the morning I made hot tea to warm up. Because of the cold I didn’t sit down for breakfast but packed my stuff and started the last kilometers of the trip. It would be about seven kilometers. This second day started cold as well, and warmed up as fast as the day before. I shot some nice pictures with great lights from the sun, beautiful frost and ice.
I would really recommend The woods of Chaam and the moors of Strijbeek to everyone who likes nature and hiking. I really enjoyed my hike here and saw beautiful scenes.
