Loonse Molenheide

Heathland and sand side by side

Loonse Molenheide sits on the border of two worlds. On one side an expansive heath, on the other the sand drift of the Loonse en Drunense Duinen area. That transition is exactly what makes this place so interesting to photograph. You don't have to walk far to find a composition where purple and beige touch.

The heather typically blooms in August. The vegetation turns a deep purple-pink, most intense in the morning when the light is still low and dew still sits on the flowers. A cloudy sky works well here, because the flat terrain offers very few vertical elements. A blown-out, flat midday sky makes everything dull.

Light and season

The golden hours are no cliche here. Early in the morning, just after sunrise, the light falls at an angle across the heath and picks out the relief of the ground. This is especially effective at the edge of the sand drift, where the wind has blown small ridges and asymmetric shapes into the sand. Late afternoon brings warm tones, but the westward orientation of parts of the area can work against you, putting you into backlight at the wrong moment.

Outside the flowering season the area is still worth a visit. In October and November the ferns turn orange and brown. In frost or hoarfrost, when the ground is hard-frozen and the heather is dusted white, there is a different kind of stillness to capture.

Compositions and focal points

A focal length around 70 to 135mm lets you move in close on the transition between heath and sand. A wide perspective at 24mm or somewhere in between works well if you want the sky to play a role. Watch the foreground: a few loose heather shrubs or a tongue of sand can lift an otherwise bare composition.

Go low. At knee height or lower you turn heathland into a forest. The flowers grow larger, the horizon retreats and the sky fills the frame. That calls for a tripod or a firm elbow on the ground.

Practical

There is a small car park on the Molenheideweg in Loon op Zand. The area is part of Nationaal Park Loonse en Drunense Duinen. Dogs must be kept on a lead. Leaving the paths is discouraged because of the fragile vegetation and the ongoing restoration of the sand drift. On weekends in August it can be busy, particularly with families. Arrive early.

Sources and further reading

• Nationaal Park Loonse en Drunense Duinen
• Staatsbosbeheer – Loonse en Drunense Duinen
• Gemeente Loon op Zand