Is this a real hobby??

Sometimes when people ask about my hobbies I just say listening music or skiing, which is a safe answer if you do not want to enter into a longer talk. However if you're in for spending some time in a lively discussion, just say: "I collect pictures of bordermarkers". Then you're sure to have at least some attention, because the hobby is not much heard of. But, as always when you dig deeper into the subject, you'll find that there is much more to it. For instance, there is a small but determined group of people (about 30) in the Netherlands who have the same hobby.
Every once in a while some of us come together to tour a stretch of a specific border. In June 2007 this group enjoyed a walk near Haaksbergen in de Achterhoek, part of the beautiful province Overijssel.

Foto: Ad Rombouts

The hobby is really multi-disciplinary: history, geography, photography, controlling the dog when deer are around, hiking in all kinds of weathers and last but not least psychology and negotiating skills. Ever explained to an angry farmer that you did enter his yard to dig up some old stone and actually need his help for it?

The pages are in Dutch, but I invite you to leaf through them to see what the hobby is about.