It’s a sunny day today and it shouldn’t go to waste. Having exhausted our streaming services this weekend, I was determined to venture out and enjoy the outdoors somewhere, a far cry from my predilections when we were living in Osdorp. The options for wandering here are still mostly undiscovered and this time around Epe was our locale for communing with nature and possibly a lunch stop somewhere. Not having done any research and relying entirely on Teko’s suggestion to go to a place called Ossenstal, after just a twenty-minute’ drive and parking our car I knew it was going to be promising – not only was it less crowded than if we were in a similar area near Amsterdam, there was conveniently a pleasant looking restaurant nearby, perfectly placed for an après-hike repast. It was certainly enough motivation for a good nature walk.

Thankfully the summer weather today wasn’t too humid and the walking paths nearly devoid of people. A good walk is always a salve for mental health and for that alone the trek was a success. Once that was done it was time for a well-earned lunch at the ‘Oxen Stable’, which from the outside looked inviting and, after we went in straight through to the outdoor seating area, proved irresistible. It was quite literally an oasis next to a forest, and once we found our place far from the busy shaded areas, the relaxation and open air atmosphere were fantastic.

The comfort food of French onion soap and Dutch pancake for me, and the requisite burger and fries for Teko were delicious. And the riveting conversation about the events of the weekend were enlivening. I wanted the meal to last longer but not soon after the last bite was taken the bill was quickly taken care of and we were off back home to Elburg. Our first full weekend in Gelderland is now one for the books.