Weekend on Texel

Thursday after work we immediately drove to enjoy a long weekend stay on one of the Wadden Islands called Texel. It it the biggest island and is located in the Wadden Sea area which is the largest and one of the most important nature reserves in Western Europe.
Here we are on the ferry to Texel. Toby looks through the railing to discover the height above the sea.

The boys posing for a nice picture.

This next picture is made below deck where the motor home was parked.

What do you do on a long weekend. Well we sure did relax and the boys as well.
Brego lays on one of the new stretchers.

Toby is hiding under the motor home.

And Brego in the bushes.

On Friday morning we went for a biking trip. Because sunny weather was expected we took the doggy-rides with us for the boys to sit in.
All ready to go.

After a short trip where Toby and Brego walked besides the bike we stopped for a little rest in a forest we passed by.

We did a short walk to see whether we could reach the beach from up here, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. We continued our trip with both dogs inside the doggy-ride.

They didn't mind having to sit in the trailers.

After we got back we first visited the forest near the camping side to let the boys run a little bit before going back.

The dogs had lots of energy left, because they where in the doggy-rides for a long time, as you can see the sun was shining perfectly and then it is no walking besides the bike anymore.

Running to the boss.

In the beginning of the evening we went for the beach. Here I am posing with the dogs, who already smell the sea and want to get there as soon as possible.

Together with the boss running towards the sea. In this area of the beach the dogs aren't allowed to run freely, therefore the dogs had to stay on the leash.

Yes there's the sea.

Three boys enjoying the fresh water.

Hey what's happening over there?

Brego looking at Toby enjoying the water.

On our way back to the forest.


On Saturday we went for a walk that starts not too far from the camping site. It was a 10 KM walk, that was halfway on the beach and halfway in the dunes. The dunes area is open only from 16 August until somewhere in March, and because it was the 16 of August we could go through this beautiful part of the dunes.
The first part of the walk the boys had to stay on the leash.
Toby wanted to get into the sea immediately, but since we had to walk a little bit further than that we couldn't get our shoes wet, so he had to do with whatever water we ran into.

Brego walks into the water but he stays a little bit on the side.

In this next picture you can see this difference in behavior very good.

Then we arrived at a part of the beach that was very empty, we let the dogs run free.

And immediately Toby went into the water again.

I threw some rocks and shells into the water for the boys to run and catch (which they never do but anyhow they enjoy this very much)

More shell throwing and jumping around by the boys.

Then it was back on the leashes again for we would go into the dune area.

Here posing in this beautiful area.

It was the first day that it was allowed to walk this are.

We didn't meet any other people walking this area.

Here we are resting on a bench near a pool full of gooses.If you look closely you can see the water in the back

A close-up. When we left this bench to continue the walk, we entered an area that was very rough, it was a real survival trip. When we arrived at the end of the walk, we red a sign that told that the part we walked was closed do to work in progress. Hmmm at the other side of the walk there was no sign that told us that. But that for sure explained the rough terrain we had to walk.

This next pictures are taken on Sunday at the ferry station where we were waiting for the ferry to arrive to take us back to the mainland after a very nice trip to Texel.

Walk after Grooming

And after being groomed we always go for a walk. Today we went for the Molenheide area.

This is a walk in forest.

Because this is an area where dogs are allowed to walk of the leash, a lot of dogs are being walked here, and a lot of scenses to sniff out there.

And there are a couple of white sandy hills where the dogs love to run and play with sticks. The next pictures show this action where Rob throws a stick and the boys hurry to be the first to get the stick and return it to the boss and then the stick gets thrown again.

And then back to the path to continue our walk.

Toby Freshly Groomed

A couple of week ago I published pictures of Brego just groomed. Today I have a couple of pictures of Toby, freshly groomed.

Here a nice picture sideways. (Look Brego sits underneath the grooming table)

Toby wonders why he can't get of the table and go for a walk.

Lommelse Sahara

Sunday afternoon we got in our car and drove to a place called "Lommelse Sahara". Is is 15 KM from our home so it is very close by. It is an area with woodland, heathland and ponds. We never visited the area before and we didn't bring a map, so it was up to our navigational skills to see where we ended up (and of course we did ask a little bit, because the language the Belgium's speak in that area is Dutch). The boys always start running immediately as if they exactly know where we are.

Behind the dogs, the first pond in which Toby already entered, as you might see on this picture, because he has wet feet.

Here a movie a Toby inside the first pond.

Toby discovered the second pond.

Here a nice place at the second pond where the dogs could enter easily.

We threw some sticks in the water. The standard way of working is that Toby swims to fetch the stick.

And on his way back he drops the stick, Brego picks it up and brings the stick out of the water.

Here's a movie that shows this same routine.

Brego is searching for the stick that Toby dropped.

Toby is definitely the better swimmer.

Brego turns were he can still feel the bottom of the pond.

Toby hurry's into the water......

Starts swimming like crazy.....

Brego follows a little bit after that.....

Brego turns around back to the shore.....

And look who carries the stick out of the water.....

And Toby is ready again for the stick to be thrown into the water.

When we continued our way, we got back to the place where Toby already entered the water before. Look at his face, looking very enthusiastic as if he just discovered the water for the first time.

Even Brego entered this pool.

And now Toby didn't let go of the stick so they carried it out of the water by the two of them

Then we discovered why the area is called Sahara, a lot of white sand and again a beautiful pond, in which the dogs didn't swim, there were a lot of people around here and we were not sure whether dogs were allowed inside the pond.

I tried to get them to sit side by side but the only thing they were interested in was the water, which we wouldn't enter.

Here on our way back, the white sandy bottom in the forest.

And immediately the temperature was higher, as in the real Sahara.

We will definitely return to this nice area.

Wash and Dry

The dogs were ready for a bath due to all the swimming they have done the last weeks. We have a dog bath so I washed them both after another.

When the bath was put outside both dogs hide themselves. Brego is the real blond one he hided under the grooming table, Toby fled into the garden to hide under a tree.

Brego was the lucky number one, after all he was the easiest one to catch.

But Toby didn't escape his bath.

As you can see both dogs love being washed, ahum ahum..

And then afterwards we have two clean and fresh smelling beardie boys. A quick snapshot because we will go out for a walk and they could get dirty again.

Dog Beach

On Friday evening we met with several bearded collie owner at the Beach in Noordwijk. This is a part of the beach where dogs are allowed to walk of the leash.
We arrived earlier, so we could enjoy a nice meal and some drinks in the beach club.
If Toby is at the sea he becomes very energetic and he has to run around for a long period before he returns to us, so before the meal both dogs stayed on the leash, which they didn't like at all.

After dinner they were released and they entered the sea immediately.

Toby is looking around to see whether there's something interesting to chase somewhere. He likes to run with dogs that chase after balls, sticks ...

The beardies weren't the only ones entering the sea. Rob couldn't resist the water and had to enter the sea as well.

With the sun at the back this gives some spectaculair images.

Here a picture where the dunes can be seen.

Brego posing for a picture and my shadow ruining it.

A picture with Brego on profile, with the sun in the back.

Beardies running after a stick.

My three boys at the beach in Noordwijk.

Afterwards we went to the beach club again to enjoy some drinks together. Dogs are allowed in this fantastic place.
Because they all drank salty sea water they were queuing at the water bowls that are present at the beach end club.

And the bosses enjoyed some drinks as well.

After the sun set down we drove home again after a very fun evening at the beach.