Why we should embrace the curious (untranslatable) Dutch practice of 'uitwaaien'

My preference for practising uitwaaien is in a wind that eats up kites and spits them back out again, the sort that keeps airborne seagulls stationary, and into which I must battle with my head down, forced to turn sideways to take gulps of air. That is the kind of wind that delivers true exhilaration – though according to the Dutch, most gusts will do that.

Uitwaaien (pronounced out-vay-ehn) is one of those lovely Dutch words that has no English equivalent and translates as “out blowing”, specifically of the wind. Ask a Nederlander about the exact meaning and “to walk with the wind” is the most common explanation (although cycling is also acceptable), displaying the romantic side of the Dutch psyche that is so often overshadowed by a reputation for practicality.

In 2017 the term uitwaaien was used in a Twitter post, immediately receiving thousands of likes – and influencers, forever on the lookout for the next trend, jumped on it. “Oh, it’s the new gezellig, which is just so 2010,” commented one. In a flash, the word was being bandied about, with few understanding its true meaning. (Gezellig, by the way, is used to describe a cosy feeling brought about by any number of random things, but is most frequently used for a snug place or time spent with good friends, similar to "hygge".)

“Door weer en wind gaan,” says my Dutch friend Anika, when I ask her how she is feeling about coming out of lockdown, which in translation means “go through weather and wind” and is used with pride when coming out the other side of something that has been tough. It’s just one of many Dutch phrases in which the wind gets a mention.

That the Dutch embrace wind as a positive type of weather is just as well, as the Netherlands’ low-lying topography (the highest hill is the Vaalserberg, rising to just 1,058ft) and 280 miles of coastline, mean that the air is rarely still. This relationship began out of necessity in the 14th century when windmills were used to pump water out of the lowlands so that they could be farmed and continues today with the current Government’s target of achieving 27 per cent renewable energy by 2030 through use of onshore and offshore wind power.

Having lived in the Netherlands for seven years I already knew of uitwaaien, a simple remedy for so many problems. Feeling stressed? “Gaan (go) uitwaaien,” they would cry. Something troublesome on your mind? “Gaan uitwaaien!” Not in the best of health? “Gaan uitwaaien!”

To be clear, this isn’t just a walk (or cycle). It’s the conscious, mindful exercise of replacing bad indoor air with good outdoor air while enjoying the positive impact nature has on your life, in a location where there is a good, strong wind. It is the process of refreshing oneself, relieving stress and boosting health, and the Dutch have practised it for centuries. It is best exercised in winter, considered the number one cure for winter blues, though it is beneficial year-round.

“It gives you air and freedom,” says Roelien van der Veen, a Dutch healthcare coach who swears by its benefits both personally and professionally. “When your mind is full, if you go to the beach or for a cycle ride in the dunes on a windy day, you feel better mentally and physically, and also more joyful. It isn’t just exercise; it is an essential part of life, boosting your immune system and reducing stress.”

While living in the Netherlands I grew accustomed to spending a lot of time outside, even in the cooler months of autumn and winter. “Let’s have a party on the beach,” my Dutch friends would suggest when temperatures were at -2C and the wind was bending trees double. In the end I accepted these blustery days as the norm.

Back in the UK, on windy days during lockdown, I adopted my old Dutch habits and took every chance to gulp in a good lungful of cleansing air. Returning home, I’d feel energised, with my wind-beaten face tingling, momentarily exhilarated during a time when elation was so hard to come by.

“If I think of uitwaaien, I imagine a walk in the wind on the beach – the best place to restore mental energy,” says Rolf, my neighbour when I lived in The Hague, one of the Netherlands’ windiest cities. “During lockdown, I took all the stress that I had stored inside me after being cooped up at home and I let the wind carry it away.”

Most Nederlanders would agree that the beach is the best place for it. In the determined style of The Wicked Witch of the West, I’d battle those Oz-like gales on my sit-up-and-beg Dutch bicycle through the vast 240 hectares of sand dunes known as Westduinpark. It was the best hangover cure I’d ever come by and it certainly beat anything on offer inside a stuffy gym.

When friends and family came to stay, I’d take them to walk the length of the perennially windy Afsluitdijk (one of the world’s greatest water engineering accomplishments), which dams the Zuiderzee. On very blustery days, my favourite trick was to lean back into the wind on my heels. Kinderdijk is another refreshingly windy spot (why else would they have built 19 water-pumping windmills here in the 18th century?), once an inhabitable peat bog trapped between river and sea.

As the Netherlands opens up on September 22 (and can at last experience voorpret – another unique Dutch word to describe the excitement you feel before a holiday), we’ll be looking for new ways to experience one of the UK's favourite destinations, perhaps now favouring outside exploration over busy, inside attractions. A walk in the wind has never looked so appealing – and just think, those hours spent in a warm café scoffing pannekoeken with close friends later will certainly feel all the more gezellig after walking in the wind.