We leave the little island at Musseslkanaal and head south and west towards Meppel.
This area of the Netherlands has more woodland and trees than any other part, mostly beech and larch, tinged green by spring buds. The soil is very fine clay and much of it recently tilled. We see a few alpaca but most of the animals are horses, lean thoroughbred types, in large herds.
Last night we learned the Omleidingen signs we keep seeing mean 'diversion'.
When we reach Meppel we find plenty of omleidinge as the route into the camperstop is blocked by roadworks. After a couple of goes Ali and Grete get out to ask for information. Ali’s hairdresser can’t help but Grete bumps into someone whose van is already parked and she gives us the alternative route. 10 minutes later we are side by side at the edge of the canal.
It’s a short walk to town past neat little houses and a windmill which is now an art centre, before long we are in the town centre. Most of the newer part is made of squared off, brick buildings and all very brown.
We find the ‘Brasserie’ restaurant and sit under the heaters with toasties and a glass of wine then go to find the older section we remember from our last visit. The main square has an elegant, Georgian style brick-built house, now a fashion outlet, and a cheese shop. The windows of the cheese shop are piled high on three stories with big orange wheels of cheese.
A florist shop has dainty cast iron window frames and bowed glass and in the market place stalls are selling cheese, waffles and cakes and fried fish.
Nick and Grete go off to explore on their motorbike while we walk out to the canals to look at the old working barges, dating back to 1907.
We pass ‘Cafe Relax’, its title painted in bright Rastafarian colours. From its door comes the sweet smell of customers smoking their way to relaxation with their coffees, cannabis being legal in Dutch cafes.
On the way into town we had seen a windmill over the canal with its sails turning and having come the long way back we are nearby. The gate is open and a sign says visit the molen [mill]. Obviously not wheelchair accessible, but Ali goes in and is given a free guided tour. She learns that this is one of the few mills still producing domestic flour, as most mills now produce animal feed. Wheat is milled to become wholemeal flour which can be sifted to extract white flour. This mill grinds around 20,000 of grain per year mostly going to bakeries and restaurants or sold directly at the mill, and Ali buys a kilo for a euro plus some pancake mix. Nick’s time outside is not wasted; he learns there are difference between the three main types of mill, the standard [post], windvane and polder mills or smockmills.
Our final bit of Meppel trivia is that the town’s people are known as Meppeler
Muggen which translates as mosquitoes or gnats of Meppel due to a folk tale where what they thought was smoke from the church tower being on fire was in fact a swarm of insects.
Back at the van we get the heating on. Still full from our late toasties we have a few nibbles with some wine before an early night.
Surprising news! On our last two trips to the south of France we’ve been through Guilerand Granges, where Ali, as a schoolgirl, once visited her pen friend, Sonia. We discovered the family had left the village long ago, but tonight she picks up a message from Sonia who had somehow come across the blog with photo of Ali beside the Guilerand Ganges signpost.
Reunited after over 40 years of no contact.