Today we planned to visit the Wildlife day (Faunadag) at Middachten Castle - situated east of Arnhem, some 30 km. from the German border.
But the weather turned out so horribly wet, windy and cold (tomorrow sees the start of daylight saving time, called 'summer-time' in Dutch!) that we gruntingly resceduled and spent our day inside instead of going outdoors.
Fortunately for us, and for you - as you can now see photos of this special day - did we visit the Wildlife day last year, that day the loveliest of spring weather imaginable.
About this Fauna, Wildlife day.
Middachten is a castle near my mums' home so I've known - and visited - it all my life. It really is a lovely little castle with a moat and all (I'll include a photo of it) and it's often open to the public.
It comes with vast grounds, a large part of it forest with game that has to be taken care of. Yes, that means culling and there's your Wildlife day.
Because at the beginning of each year the amount of game that has to be culled to keep up a healty wildlife population is set, and at the end of that year the hunters have to account for what they actually shot.
So the skulls of the game are presented to the persons in charge of the wildlife management to account for and - as it has been for almost centuries - 'shown' to the public, ie. the people living in the villages on and around the grounds of Middachten Castle.
And to everyone else interested in the wildlife management of this part of Holland. Here we enter the story!
Nowadays the event comes with food and drinks, an outdoor fair (where you can even buy guns and ammunition), a birds of prey demonstration and of course in the cellars of the Castle the exhibit of the game, surrounded by the hunters and huntsmen, dressed for the woody outdoors.
Quite a sight for us townies living near the sea!
So have a look...
But the weather turned out so horribly wet, windy and cold (tomorrow sees the start of daylight saving time, called 'summer-time' in Dutch!) that we gruntingly resceduled and spent our day inside instead of going outdoors.
Fortunately for us, and for you - as you can now see photos of this special day - did we visit the Wildlife day last year, that day the loveliest of spring weather imaginable.
About this Fauna, Wildlife day.
Middachten is a castle near my mums' home so I've known - and visited - it all my life. It really is a lovely little castle with a moat and all (I'll include a photo of it) and it's often open to the public.
It comes with vast grounds, a large part of it forest with game that has to be taken care of. Yes, that means culling and there's your Wildlife day.
Because at the beginning of each year the amount of game that has to be culled to keep up a healty wildlife population is set, and at the end of that year the hunters have to account for what they actually shot.
So the skulls of the game are presented to the persons in charge of the wildlife management to account for and - as it has been for almost centuries - 'shown' to the public, ie. the people living in the villages on and around the grounds of Middachten Castle.
And to everyone else interested in the wildlife management of this part of Holland. Here we enter the story!
Nowadays the event comes with food and drinks, an outdoor fair (where you can even buy guns and ammunition), a birds of prey demonstration and of course in the cellars of the Castle the exhibit of the game, surrounded by the hunters and huntsmen, dressed for the woody outdoors.
Quite a sight for us townies living near the sea!
So have a look...
