A lone pine rises from a sea of purple heather, shrouded in the golden glow of the rising sun. The morning mist dampens the world, leaving only shapes and colours - soft, dreamy and quiet. The Echtenerzand shows its most poetic side here: a Drenthe heath landscape where light, mist and the scent of flowering heather merge into one moment of pure tranquillity.
The Echtenerzand is located between Echten and Ruinen, in the heart of Drenthe. The area is part of the larger Ruinerbos and originated from former drifting sands and heathlands formed by wind and man over the centuries. Today, the landscape is managed by Staatsbosbeheer, which maintains the openness and heath vegetation through grazing and nature restoration. Typical heathland species such as the skylark and the viviparous lizard live here, and in the early morning you can see roe deer or a stray fox disappear in the mist.
This photo captures the sense of silence and space so characteristic of the Drenthe sandy soils - a moment when time seems to stand still.
Details
Location: Echtenerzand, Drenthe
Season: Summer / early morning
Features: Heather, fog, sunrise, tree, silence, landscape
Echtenerzand, Drenthe, heathland, fog, sunrise, nature, landscape, silence, tree, Netherlands, morning light, purple heathland
The photo was taken in August 2025
Hi! Nice of you to check my profile. I'm Karen. A creative (hobby) photographer from the beautiful province of Drenthe. I hope you'll be as happy with my chats as I am making them. Have fun looking around!.. Read more…