I might be isolated from my friends, here in my new city of Alkmaar, but I am certainly lucky to live here! Not only I have the sea close by — only a 40 minutes bike ride will bring me to the beautiful Egmond aan Zee, but I discovered I also have a forest, even closer!

The Heilooërbos lies between Alkmaar and the neighbouring Heiloo, and I can reach it even on foot.

Because we are in lockdown, I prefer to take the bike; it brings me there quickly, and I can avoid meeting people on the way. (The lockdown in the Netherlands allows people to walk outdoors for a daily exercise, as long as you keep the 1.5m distance; parks and beaches are open).

There are few people in the forest, and we can easily keep the distance between each other. It’s a genuine treat to be able to walk in nature, hear the birds singing, watch the forest coming back to life after the long winter.

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