Hi,
You guys were very helpful last year when I was plotting a route from Lille to the Hook of Holland.
Five of us are off on another trip in June 2026 (on hybrid bikes with panniers), getting the overnight Hull to Rotterdam ferry and I've come up with the following two options. Would be really grateful for any advice as to which of these offers the nicest cities for the overnight stops and also the scenery along the way. Appreciate that one might have the nicer cities and the other the nicer route, but any advice very welcome!
1. A one-way route (hopefully with the prevailing wind in our favour!), getting the train from Rotterdam to Brussels on the first morning, with first night in Mechelen, second night in Breda, third night in Gorinchem and then back to Rotterdam to get the overnight ferry, as follows:
google.com/maps/dir/Brussels+Midi+Train+Station,+Fonsnylaan+47B,+1060+Brussel,+Belgium/Mechelen,+Belgium/Breda,+Netherlands/Gorinchem,+Netherlands/Rotterdam,+Netherlands/P%26O+Ferries+%7C+Rotterdam,+Luxemburgweg,+Europoort+Rotterdam,+Netherlands/@51.9879323,1.5316495,7.25z/data=!4m38!4m37!1m5!1m1!1s0x47c3c4e87f85c5b9:0xa3b206161a5f91a8!2m2!1d4.3354547!2d50.8360867!1m5!1m1!1s0x47c3e59450852049:0x40099ab2f4d5800!2m2!1d4.4793443!2d51.0279827!1m5!1m1!1s0x47c6a1b47e17d16d:0xe5057ea284d71b41!2m2!1d4.768323!2d51.5719149!1m5!1m1!1s0x47c68604c18bfc53:0x400de5a8d1e6be0!2m2!1d4.9758292!2d51.8372247!1m5!1m1!1s0x47c5b7605f54c47d:0x5229bbac955e4b85!2m2!1d4.4777326!2d51.9244201!1m5!1m1!1s0x47c452ce28734bf9:0xa47dcbbbb8fb7ca6!2m2!1d4.1320559!2d51.9433221!3e1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTAyNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
2. A round route, cycling all the way from Rotterdam, with first night in Gorinchem, second night in Utrecht, third night in Leiden and then back to Rotterdam to get the overnight ferry, as follows (or alternatively the same route in reverse):
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/P&O...try=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTAyNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw==
The routes shown are just rough at the moment using Google maps, but I'd use Komoot or a similar app for plotting the exact route. Or take advice on specific route if anyone has actually done any of these before?
Many thanks,
Loz
You guys were very helpful last year when I was plotting a route from Lille to the Hook of Holland.
Five of us are off on another trip in June 2026 (on hybrid bikes with panniers), getting the overnight Hull to Rotterdam ferry and I've come up with the following two options. Would be really grateful for any advice as to which of these offers the nicest cities for the overnight stops and also the scenery along the way. Appreciate that one might have the nicer cities and the other the nicer route, but any advice very welcome!
1. A one-way route (hopefully with the prevailing wind in our favour!), getting the train from Rotterdam to Brussels on the first morning, with first night in Mechelen, second night in Breda, third night in Gorinchem and then back to Rotterdam to get the overnight ferry, as follows:
google.com/maps/dir/Brussels+Midi+Train+Station,+Fonsnylaan+47B,+1060+Brussel,+Belgium/Mechelen,+Belgium/Breda,+Netherlands/Gorinchem,+Netherlands/Rotterdam,+Netherlands/P%26O+Ferries+%7C+Rotterdam,+Luxemburgweg,+Europoort+Rotterdam,+Netherlands/@51.9879323,1.5316495,7.25z/data=!4m38!4m37!1m5!1m1!1s0x47c3c4e87f85c5b9:0xa3b206161a5f91a8!2m2!1d4.3354547!2d50.8360867!1m5!1m1!1s0x47c3e59450852049:0x40099ab2f4d5800!2m2!1d4.4793443!2d51.0279827!1m5!1m1!1s0x47c6a1b47e17d16d:0xe5057ea284d71b41!2m2!1d4.768323!2d51.5719149!1m5!1m1!1s0x47c68604c18bfc53:0x400de5a8d1e6be0!2m2!1d4.9758292!2d51.8372247!1m5!1m1!1s0x47c5b7605f54c47d:0x5229bbac955e4b85!2m2!1d4.4777326!2d51.9244201!1m5!1m1!1s0x47c452ce28734bf9:0xa47dcbbbb8fb7ca6!2m2!1d4.1320559!2d51.9433221!3e1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTAyNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
2. A round route, cycling all the way from Rotterdam, with first night in Gorinchem, second night in Utrecht, third night in Leiden and then back to Rotterdam to get the overnight ferry, as follows (or alternatively the same route in reverse):
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/P&O...try=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTAyNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw==
The routes shown are just rough at the moment using Google maps, but I'd use Komoot or a similar app for plotting the exact route. Or take advice on specific route if anyone has actually done any of these before?
Many thanks,
Loz
