Appealing Alphen Trail

A ramble up the Alphen Trail offers the option of a sunny or a shady walk, depending on which side of the Diep River you choose to walk. There are many bridges across this currently babbling brook, but we chose to walk across a log at one stage - sounds brave, but in fact it had a flattish top surface and was wide enough for Robin Hood and Friar Tuck to wrestle on, so not much chance of falling in!
Most of us have switched to shorts for the summer season, but I read the weather wrong and turned up in long pants and hiking boots (thinking it would be muddy!) and in no time I was feeling the heat and wondering whether I could roll up my pants legs. However, the trail is undemanding and the discomfort level was low, so I concentrated on enjoying the lush pastures and towering giant oaks, stone pines and poplars that make this such a delightful space in the middle of suburbia.
Many birds called from the canopy, but the only one I managed to photograph was an Egyptian goose perched high above on a pine branch, and even then I only got a view of its rear end! We passed a binoculared lady who was slightly peeved at our presence (you are disturbing my birds) and trust that they returned to keep her happy - this is a birdwatcher's paradise if you have the patience to sit for a long time looking in the trees.
Horseriders and dogwalkers share this trail and you have to watch the path quite closely if you don't want to pick up some baggage on the way, but it's such a pleasure to be out in the fresh air and enjoy the trail with multiple activities - fortunately no bicycles allowed there (can give you quite a fright when they appear out of nowhere on other trails and you have to leap into the shrubbery).
We covered a distance of nearly 8km without noticing it, and with many short stops to enjoy the flowers and a coffee break under the shade of a fragrant jasmine hedge, it satisfied our need for exercise and enjoyment at the same time.
(Thanks to Brian Moore for the photos - mine were abysmal)