Nature and the city part two

The Isle of the Brienenoord (in Dutch: Het eiland van de Brienenoord).

 

This is a hidden spot in Rotterdam! Even most Rotterdammers don't know about this place.

The Brienenoord Bridge is one of Rotterdams most famous bridges. It is part of our Skyline and at a clear night it is great to drive over the Brienenoord bridge and watch the city lights. It gives you one of the nicest panoramic views of the city. Driving over the Brienenoord means "I'm almost home" for Rotterdammers.

(http://www.flickr.com/photos/54228211@N00/86560066)

So it does seem like a strange place for nature, right next to - and under - one of Hollands busiest bridges. And yes, you can still hear the cars, but they are far above you. Down below there is the river the Maas, and this is a river with strong tides. Parts of the isle will flood and dry because of the tides and this causes the soil to be very fertile. Fertile soil means a lot of wild life. Not Costa Rica kind of wildlife unfortunately, but we do get nice birds and fish etc.

And giant cows! Yep, really, this is one of the places in Rotterdam where Scottish Higlanders roam the prairy. The Rotterdammish prairy (rather wet some times of year :))

 

Bring your own snacks and drinks, because there is not really a place to have a coffee and order a sandwich. And in the wet season make sure to bring boots or other kind of mud proof shoes.

Grotere kaart weergeven



To enter the island parc your car somewhere along the Boterdiep or Hoendiep (or any other street in that area) and go look for an old fashioned bridge on the Hoendiep. Cross the bridge et voila!

Nature and the city

All of you visitors that have been to the Randstad region (this is what we call the area in between the major cities in the West of the Netherlands. In between Amsterdam, Utrecht, Den Haag and of course Rotterdam. In between these cities are smaller communities, but most of are getting bigger and bigger and causing for the whole of the randstad to become one dencily populated area) know that nature is something we could use more of.

Luckily Rotterdam has some really nice parcs. Some small, some big(ger). Whenever I travel, I'll always go to parcs or botanical gardens. I just love these places where nature and city come together. So, if you would like to do the same while visiting Rotterdam, these are my favorite nature spots:

1. Kralingse Bos (with a big swimming pond, horse tracks, small sailing boats, and a tiny beach). This is actually quite an old parc with beautiful trees. This is definitely my favorite spot.

 

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The rest will follow soon!

I have to go out for lunch... :)