When you think of traditional noble families and the sprawling castles they called home, you can’t forget the massive plots of land they kept for entertainment. Most nobility had the coin to keep large gardens and Erenstein Castle (this page is in Dutch!) is no exception. Dating back to the 14th century, this castle is kept so well that it looks and feels relevant today. It probably doesn’t help that it doubles as a hotel but still. A part of Dutch history will forever be preserved here.
Located in Limburg, Erenstein Castle housed many noble names including an Adam van Ederen. The Castle’s name came from a variation of his name. However we couldn’t see the castle because we had Booker and Haru with us. Instead we took a two hour walk through the park grounds.
The park itself isn’t unlike other Dutch parks. There are a thousand ways to walk through it and there’s plenty of wildlife to be seen. We saw a handful of frogs with that “devil may care” attitude. They just sat in the road for all to see. We walk past so many flowers and fallen trees that I lost count. What I love is that the Dutch allow the earth to care for itself.
We saw many swans and all around us was the chorus of spring. However what grabbed my attention was how peaceful the lake was. In the center of Erenstein Park is a large lake that even houses a few islands. It had been serene over the water that day. Fishermen had swarmed the areas closest to the castle to fish for fun (a common past time here) so it was quite busy. Here in the middle of the trail though… This was blissful peace.
We took a seat and I got this shot of the water. A woman sat not too far from us, with her shoes off and feet on the grass. I couldn’t help but wonder how often she came here to watch over the water. There’s nothing like taking in the sights and sounds of a different country but it’s entirely something new when it comes to the natural beauty of it.
I’ll say it again. I love how beautiful the landscape is here. I often want to take pictures of it whenever I go out. Where I grew up I only ever saw brown and desert wildlife. Here are the forests I read about in story tales growing up. Here are where the witches and fairies live. It’s no wonder that Europe has spawned so many fantastic tales of the supernatural. It’s so easy to get caught up in the magic.
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