It is safe to say I am a city girl and to see me venture out into nature, or even something resembling nature, is an oddity. The funny thing is, when it does happen I enjoy it immensely. Almost as if it never occurred to me before that being outside is actually a nice thing.

So when I spotted an announcement a while back for an Instameet in one of Utrecht’s loveliest areas, Rhijnauwen, which is just outside of town, I figured the combination of meeting new people AND getting a guided tour around the fortress of Rhijnauwen might just make for a perfect pastime on a Saturday morning.

And it did.

The fortress, and particularly the way nature has overtaken it, looked like it came straight out of a fairytale, the coffee provided was excellent and the company I kept very pleasurable. As I had been strolling through hot and crowded Amsterdam only the day before this made a welcome change. Once again I found myself mumbling ‘I should do this sort of thing more often.’

Less mumbling, more action.

Enjoy.

This Instameet was organized by Explore Utrecht and the Dutch Forestry Commission
Fortress Rhijnauwen is part of the historical Dutch Waterline, a military line of defence. The Waterline is on the tentative list of the UNESCO World Heritage
The freshly brewed coffee and authentic Utrecht treats were provided by Fietsbakkie Pleur