Slowly we lower the plastic bag with beer bottles into the water till it drops gently on the sediment. The so-called harbour is rather small, yet idyllic. Five boats silently float on the water, biding their time. It is late spring, the air is warm, even the firm breeze cannot change it. As we recline on the grass in front of our tents, we wait for the beer to get cold.

Merely an hour away from home already feels like a different world: Oostwoud, Medemblik, an insignificant village well hidden in a deep polder 50 km north of Amsterdam. The choice to come here can hardly be called a choice. It houses a nature campsite and it happens to be the only area in the country safeguarded from rain and thunderstorms. Sometimes an involuntary decision delivers the best outcome.

Upon gliding away from the harbour, the impressive silence of our ‘whisper boat’ has lowered our voices and intensified our perceptivity. The beer is fairly cold, its taste consistent with our sentiment. A grebe on its nest looks angry at us, disturbed by our presence, as if we are intruders. The water is her territory.

• Costs: whisper boat rental €12 / hour or €50 / day.
• Address: Vereweg 4, Oostwoud (52.728031, 5.096709). Plan your journey on 9292.nl/en.
• More info: Campsite Veerhof also rents out kayaks. We highly recommend tea garden “De Vliegenzwam” in Oostwoud for laid back afternoon tea or lunch. For tourist attractions nearby head to Medemblik or Zuiderzeemuseum.
• Bring: camera, few beers, swimwear and sunscreen.
• Wikiloc: track Whisper boat tour near Medemblik