We had never experienced a place that got so cold the sea edges froze, but that’s the North Sea for you!
The beach closest to our base in Hillegom, the Netherlands was called Langevelderslag : long, wide, windswept, frigid in the winter, and the first time we ever saw frozen sea – the dogs loved it!
Driving further towards the southwest of the Netherlands is Hoek van Holland (picture). Â This was a strategic hold for Germany in WW2 because of the harbor. Â It is in the southwestern corner of the country at the mouth of the Nieuwe Waterweg (ship canal) into the North Sea. Â There is a wide, sandy beach on the other side of the river, part of which is designated for ‘naturalists’ – but obviously deserted this time of the year!
