Vierdaagse (Four day walk)

Every year at this time Nijmegen hosts its biggest event on the years calendar. Much like the Tour de France but on foot, in Nijmegen, and only for four days.

People flock here from all over the world to join in for the week of walking and parties with over 42,000 people participating in the walking and everyone else joining in on the fun.

Everyone can join in with people as young as 12 and as old as 90 walking 40kms every day for 4 days in a row. If you want there is even a 50km/day walk. This year 63 counties were represented including New Zealand. Some Dutchies do it every year as a sort of holiday with the record being 66 times (that's over 10,000kms which is like walking half way to New Zealand in 264 days).

Every day there is a different walk each taking a different route out of the city and back in later in the day. The streets are lined with seating and some people even reserve spots early by padlocking their couches and chairs to trees in the days before.

So many people gather that the government asks for people to billet some of the visitors, farmers turn their paddocks into makeshift camp sites complete with blow up swimming pools.

I was last in Nijmegen a couple of years ago when Nijmegen turned 2000 years old and hosted the Vierdaagse. It was just as mad.

This year we joined some friends for a BBQ across the other side of the Waal looking back at Nijmegen and watching the fireworks.