Paddle Packing on the Dommel River, Netherlands
Paddled 73 kilometers (45 miles) and spent four nights camping alongside the Dommel river in Brabant, south of the Netherlands.
I packed using a combination of waterproof bags (Ortlieb) for my clothes and camping gear and kayaking barrels for my food.
The trip, five days in total, was a succes. Great weather and fantastic environment, where I camped quietly next to kingfishers and beavers. The river meanders endlessly and passes through rural towns such as Valkenswaard, Sint-Oedenrode and Boxtel. My starting point was Borkel en Schaft, close to the Belgian border and I finished 73 kilometers further in Den Bosch.
For anyone considering to paddle the Dommel river, know that has many (many!) obstacles and interruptions that will have you carry your kayak, board and/or gear around it. It gets much better once your north of Eindhoven, but be prepared!