WE ARE DREAMERS
For us, living is about dreaming, whatever form that might take, and the fascinating route to achieving those dreams. Back in 2009, we found our dream place right here, a Frisian farmhouse just below the Lauwersmeer, so we moved from the centre of Utrecht to Friesland. We quickly decided on the name ‘it Dreamlân’, which is ‘Dreamland’ in the local dialect. Our two boys also have Frisian names, Olke and Tjalle, and there are good reasons for this. Both names have roots in these vast beautiful mudflats, and we simply felt at home on this clayey soil. Our greatest dream at that time was to be able to spend much more time outside with the kids, away from the stress of the city. That dream came true immediately with the move here because living outdoors here is easy – to say the least! .
It wasn’t long before a new dream arose. We enjoyed the beauty of this place so much, we decided we wanted to share it with others. When we bought our home here, it included a small natural campsite and a cosy holiday home. At the time, we thought it was a nice bonus. Step by step, we gradually made it our own and turned it into the informal and inspiring place it is today, where everyone can feel at home. We put our heart into this place, learned to love our land and shed a lot of blood and tears during its construction. Moreover, our third child was born: a Frisian ‘femke’ (lassie) called Jikke.
Our three children are all real Frisians, and don’t plan on returning to the busy city . Shame that mum and dad occasionally long for a bit of city life and culture… Well, it’s not a problem, from time to time we get a babysitter in, then drive up to Groningen or Leeuwarden for some fun.
Our guests almost always recommend our place to their friends and family, so ever more people want to come and stay here and camp. It’s a great feeling, knowing all those people are so enthusiastic about our dream location! We have expanded our site every year, and in 2015 we are completing the final stage with the construction of two beautifully designed barn-style buildings. One barn contains 4 holiday homes and a communal area, all under 1 roof, while the other barn is our new family home. It means that our former home, the Frisian farmhouse, can now be used as a beautiful family home for guests. We can now receive guests in the summer and in the winter: both real campers and those who prefer the luxury of a proper bed. And, most importantly, everyone enjoys coming here! Wow!
There’s a big chance that we can once again dust off our dreamers’ project on further dividing up our land. In 2012 and 2013, it Dreamlân offered dreamers a dream spot for a week, a place where they could peacefully work on their dreams. Why? We are simply interested in dreams and dreamers, and in particular those with the courage to make their dreams come true.
it Dreamlân is now perfectly dimensioned and ideal for us, we don’t want anything bigger. Even so, we remain dreamers, so we will always be inventing new, creative things to do with our lives. Chasing your dreams does require courage and, whatever else is said about us, that is one of our core characteristics!
OUR TEAM
Hi, I am Minke!
Obviously, I'm the boss of the campsite. You can see that immediately . I usually greet guests and explain everything to them. If you’re looking for tips for a great day out, shower tokens or paddles for the canoe, I'm the person to go to, and you can usually find me at reception!
Besides running the campsite, I’m also a facilitator for Gave Dingen Doen (Cool Ideas Society), and I supervise creative sessions for companies and organisations. That’s something I really enjoy, but I’m equally happy cleaning the shower, where I can forget everything and lose myself in daydreams .
Hi, I am Robert!
If you see somebody tearing by on a cool ride-on mower, it’s probably me! In fact, I really should have become a farmer since there’s nothing I like better than working our land all day.
In any case, I really enjoy the birdlife and vast open skies surrounding me. And our great guests, of course! If you fancy a jog or a bike race, don’t hesitate to ask me for tips. I’ll be glad to help! As well as being a landowner, I also own an IT company.
Hi, I am Jikke!
What I like doing best is riding around all day on my pink princess bike. I always decide what clothes to wear (and even if I don’t, I still think it should be up to me). Sometimes I wear training trousers when it’s really muddy, but I like wearing dresses or skirts best. They have to be pink of course.
I like helping my mum clean the shower block. And when I’ve had enough, I go on the swing for a bit, or jump really high on the trampoline. I also love making pies out of sand with the other kids. We go round the tents, take their orders very carefully, and then we bake them.
Hi, I am Tjalle!
They like to say I’m a dreamer, but that’s an exaggeration. It’s just that I don’t always feel like listening to everybody. But when new guests arrive, I always let everybody know right away. And I always get the post out of the letterbox, because that’s my job.
I like cycling and karting, especially with loads of other kids at the same time. I can also bounce on the trampoline for ages… or play football, of course. Football’s always fun, especially if we can carry on until after dark.
Hi, I am Olke!
If you like football, let me know because I’ll drop everything to join in! Or going fishing, I like that, or just netting stuff in the water... In the summer, we sometimes go and look at the cows on Reyer Farm with the kids from the campsite. That’s always good fun, because there are often new-born calves. I love animals and I know quite a bit about them.
When I’m big I want to be a biologist, like David Attenborough who’s got his own TV show. Or a professional footballer of course, I wouldn’t mind that. If we have a day off, then we sometimes go canoeing to the mill with dad, and then on to Kollum. That's really brill!
