There are multiple ways to celebrate Ascension Day in the Netherlands. Would you like to partake in a centuries-old Dutch tradition? Then rise early on Ascension Day and embark on a Dew Walk, known in Dutch as “Dauwtrappen”. Or go to one of the great Ascension Festivals or Ascension Fairs. Ascension Day in the Netherlands is a holiday and loads of activities are organized.
Dew Walks – Get Up Early and Dance
Dew walking or dew kicking is an ancient custom, in the early days it was the intention to get up early and dance barefoot on the grass while singing religious songs. It’s customary to set out around 5:30 am, a truly early hour, and join one of the organized Dew Walks. These walks are primarily organized in the East and South of the Netherlands.
Festivals Ascension Day
But if you don’t enjoy the early wake-up for a Dew Walk you can always go to one of the many festivals on Ascension Day instead.
➔ READ MORE – Festival information for Ascension Day in the Netherlands
Ascension Fairs
One of the oldest Ascension traditions is to visit one of the Ascension fairs. They are a kind of enormous market with loads of fun, special market stalls, food trucks, and local products. Do you want to visit one of those ascension Fairs than its best to check this agenda!
➔ READ MORE – Ascension Fairs in the Netherlands
Ascension Day is a public holiday
Good to know that Ascensions Day is a public holiday in the Netherlands. Schools are closed, working people have a mandatory day off, but most shops are open. The Netherlands is a traditionally Christian country, and a number of religious Christian Days are celebrated with national holidays.
Why should you go on a Dew Walk?
To celebrate spring, a Dew Walk is fun, it’s the celebration of springtime. Get up at the break of dawn and whether you are alone or whit friends make a trip into parks, forests, or open fields to experience the tranquility of nature and take in the fresh air. It’s a time for reflection, relaxation, and connecting with the outdoors.
Dauwtrappen and its best English translation
The word “Dauwtrappen” is hard to translate, best translated in English as Dew Walk, or Dew Kicking, Treading on Dew, or Early Morning Walk. It is a centuries-old Dutch tradition that involves going for a walk in the countryside early in the morning, usually on Ascension Day.
Where to find the best organized Dew Walk?
Pietersberg Maastricht
This Dew Walk is organized by the Dutch organization Nature Monuments and led by the forester. In May, nature is at its most beautiful in the morning. The walk takes about 3 hours and starts at the break of dawn, as soon as the sun rises, which is around 6 o’clock. The forester will take you over the Sint Pietersberg and through the former ENCI quarry. Along the way, you can enjoy the most beautiful views from the Sint-Pietersberg plateau. During the walk, you hear and see birds singing, frogs croaking, and you hear the leaves rustling. The sounds of nature are unparalleled early in the morning.
➔ READ MORE – Dauwtrappen | Pietersberg Maastricht, Fort Sint Pieter, Luikerweg 80, Maastricht
Park de Hoge Veluwe
On Ascension Day, from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., admission is free for walkers, cyclists, and horse riders. This is a wonderful opportunity to enter the park at a time when this park is normally closed. The Park Restaurant is open from 6.30 am, serves a great breakfast, and only sells well-filled picnic baskets on Ascension Day.
➔ READ MORE – Dauwtrappen | Park de Hoge Veluwe, Arnhem
National Tree Museum
How great is that? Enter the National Tree Museum in the early morning hours when it is normally still closed. This Dew Walk is lead by a guide that tell you everything about the birds and the trees that live in the National Treemuseum. After the Dew walk a delicious Ascension breakfast is waiting for you.
➔ READ MORE – Dauwtrappen | National Treemuseum Doorn
➔ READ MORE – National Treemuseum | Arboretum Doorn
Between Amsterdam and the city of Hilversum lies the picturesque village of ‘s-Graveland. Renowned for its beautiful estates and country residences, this village was once favored by wealthy citizens of Amsterdam who built their homes here in previous centuries. Today, most of these estates are under the ownership of the Dutch organization Nature Monuments, with some open to the public.
➔ READ MORE – Dauwtrappen Visiterscentre Gooi en Vechtstreek and Boekesteyn estate
One such estate is Boekenstey, boasting a stunning park where the annual Dew Walk takes place. If you’re interested in joining the Dew Walk, sign up using the link provided above. Additionally, each ticket includes a delightful Ascension breakfast at Restaurant Brambergen.
➔ READ MORE – Restaurant Brambergen, ‘s Graveland
Dew Walk to celebrate Spring and Nature’s Beauty
Dauwtrappen is seen as a way to celebrate the arrival of spring and enjoy nature’s beauty during the early morning hours. It is believed that walking barefoot or with light footwear on the dew-covered grass brings good luck and health for the rest of the year. The walk is typically undertaken in a group, often with family and friends, creating a sense of community and togetherness.
What time starts the Dew Walk
People participating in dauwtrappen often start their walk at the break of dawn, typically around sunrise. Sunrise is on Ascension Day, medio May around 5.30 am.
Dew Walks Around the World
It is not typical Dutch traction to go on a Dew Walk on Ascension Day. While the tradition originated in the Netherlands, similar customs involving early morning walks in the countryside can be found in other countries as well. The focus is often on appreciating nature and enjoying the serenity of the early morning hours.
How does dew forms?
Dew forms when the temperature of the air drops below the dew point. The dew point is the point at which moist air begins to condense. This can occur sooner in warmer air than in colder air.
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