The Oldemeijer Haarplas: Icy silence at dawn
On a cuttingly cold winter morning in Overijssel, I found myself at the edge of the Oldemeijer Haarplas, deep in the Staatsbossen near Hardenberg. The world seemed to stand still. The water lay motionless, a thick layer of ice had formed along the banks over the past few days, and the frozen bushes glistened in the first light.
In the middle of this serene setting stood a weathered wooden cottage on stilts, connected to the bank by a narrow, creaky bridge. It looks like a place from a forgotten time, a refuge for those seeking silence. The first rays of the sun cast a warm glow over the landscape, illuminating the golden-yellow grass and misty sky in soft hues.
The sky above the lake turns pink and purple, while dark silhouettes of trees mark the horizon. The breath of morning hangs over the water like a thin mist. Here, in the chilly silence of nature, you feel the grandeur of simplicity.
Haarplas is more than a landscape; it is a snapshot of calm and unspoilt beauty. A place where the cold sharpens your senses and you hear the rhythm of nature - icy, but breathtakingly pure.
Ton Drijfhamer is a highly regarded image maker from Delfzijl, Netherlands, who combines his passion for photography with a deep-rooted love for the northern regions of the Netherlands. Ton describes himself as someone who is "alone, but together with the weather, the wind, and my.. Read more…