Persistent drought means no purple Posbank this year, naturalist believes

Nature lovers who look forward to a purple Posbank each summer, will be disappointed this year, according to naturalist Gerrit Jansen. The heather that turns the hills purple with its blossoms is withered by the persistent drought and will hardly bloom this year, he said to De Gelderlander.

Every year the purple glow over the hills of the Posbank - a national attraction - attracts thousands of visitors in the second half of August. This year they will be disappointed.

"A lot of heather is already withered and will not blossom this year", Jansen said to the newspaper. "That does not mean that the heather is dead. Next year the purple flowers will bloom again, but for this year it is over in most places."

Susanne Blommaert from Natuurmonumenten is somewhat more positive. "We obviously see that nature is having a hard time. You do not have to be an expert for that, but whether that means that the heather will not bloom this year, I do not know. Perhaps it will only be less purple at the Posbank this year.