Bianca van Dijk, inhabitant of Hoofddorp and walker

Bianca, what are your favorite hiking spots? 

My favorite places are the Haarlemmermeerse Bos and the Toolenburgerplas. It is often a bit busier at the Toolenburgerplas. The Haarlemmermeerse Bos, on the other hand, is a bit quieter. I usually come here in the morning, when the sun comes up. It is so nice and beautiful to see the sun rise in the forest.  
 
I sometimes walk around the lake and sometimes along the Geniedijk towards Plesmanhoek. Especially in those places you can admire a beautiful sunrise. I also often walk towards Big Spotters Hill and the Groene Weelde. There are all sorts of great trails here for hikers. 

When you go for a walk, do you do it alone or with others? 

I usually walk alone because there are not many people who get up around 7 am and want to walk. But my sister comes along regularly. We are both blessed with a biological clock that goes off at around 6:XNUMX am. That way it is easy for us to arrange to go for a walk together every now and then. I also regularly walk in the afternoon with a friend. 
 

On your instagram page share your beautiful pictures of what you encounter during your walks. How did this come about?  

Photography is really a hobby of mine. My mom always tells me to do something with it, but it's mainly a fun hobby. I once bought an SLR camera, but shooting with a mobile phone is just as easy. 
 

Do you have any tips for budding photographers?  

In terms of tips, I think the topic is important. It just depends on what you like to photograph. Some people like to photograph plants and people, others prefer to photograph buildings or street art. You don't find that kind of thing in the woods.  
 

I see new things every time I walk through the Haarlemmermeerse Bos. I've been walking every day for about a year and a half now. I always discover new plants and mushrooms. It remains very nice. As a tip I would say: try to look through the lens at knee height instead of at eye level. By changing your perspective slightly you discover new things again and again. 

You also participate in a special project called Happy Stones. Can you tell us a little more about this? 

Happy Stones are stones that are decorated by hand by people. The Happy Stones are then placed in various public places. For example, you suddenly see a beautiful stone with a heart on it or another kind of decoration.  

What is very nice while walking is to see that more and more Happy Stones are being placed. I'm a fan of that myself. I also often encounter them in the Haarlemmermeerse Bos, near Venneperhout and near Toolenburg.  

The idea is that you can take them with you, to keep for yourself or to make someone else happy. I keep one myself instagram page of the stones. This arose during the corona pandemic when people spent a lot of time indoors. The Happy Stones made people go out more. And that by leaving a stone you could put a smile on someone's face. They are actually small gifts that you leave behind.  

What are you proud of as a resident of Haarlemmermeer? 

I am proud of the many amenities we have here. Hoofddorp has a lot to offer. You have primary schools, secondary schools, vocational education and even football clubs at a fairly high level here. You are also in the right place here when it comes to walking. The Haarlemmermeerse Bos is beautiful. You also have the Venneperhout and the Toolenburgerplas.  
 

I can recommend everyone to go for a walk in the beautiful nature reserves of Haarlemmermeer!