Arnhem - thereafter

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old donald

New Member
Planning next years trip - want to do "A bridge too Far" - Hull to Rotterdam (May 08) then follow the Route taken by the troops during WWII as part of operation Market Garden ie Endhoven, Nijmengen to Arnhem.

Problem is where to go when I have reached Arnhem - only have 5 days (this is all I am allowed!!) so it will be a tour within Holland

Any other suggested routes - I was thinking of heading up to the Northern Coast of Holland ?
 

Bigtallfatbloke

New Member
Great idea for a tour...very interesting.
 

Hurricane Steve

New Member
Location
Hamburg
Hi Old Donald
Why not look at the option of following the German section of the R1 from Arnhem to Goslar, you just cut the rest out. I like your idea, I'm thinking of doing the Germany section of the R1 next year as well from Arnhem to Berlin.
 

orbiter

Well-Known Member
Location
Hertfordshire
Hurricane Steve said:
Hi Old Donald
Why not look at the option of following the German section of the R1 from Arnhem to Goslar, you just cut the rest out. I like your idea, I'm thinking of doing the Germany section of the R1 next year as well from Arnhem to Berlin.

Arnhem to Goslar & Berlin on the R1 is a great trip - I did it last year so if you need any information I may be able to help.

But for OD, it could take a day on trains to get back from Goslar to a ferry, so I'd look here for a suitable route in Holland. BTW I recommend the Hostel in Arnhem and the City Park hotel in Nijmegen - and don't miss the Velorama there.

Pete
 

snorri

Legendary Member
You will need to estimate how many miles/kilometres you would feel happy to cover in the available time, and make up a route of that length.
From Arnhem you might consider heading for Urk and taking the ferry over to Enkhuizen, then head for the North Sea coast and follow LF1 back south to Rotterdam.;)
The world's your oyster.xx(
I don't think the Northern coast is overly interesting, but from Den Helder you can get a ferry to the holiday island of Texel, and from there go on to the other islands if you had time.
 

Andy in Sig

Vice President in Exile
I'd definitely recommend places like Zwolle and Utrecht and you can also go down the Roer to Roermond and then cut across to the Maas and head down to Maastricht which is a wonderful town.
 
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old donald

New Member
Some good thought and suggestions - now to the maps!! (old fashioned I know)

But seriously thank you for your help.
 

rustychisel

Well-Known Member
next port of call would be whatever prison camp the remnants of 1st Para were shipped to in Germany, surely?

*bonus points to anyone who says "abandon bike and all equipment and swim back across the Rhine".
 

bof

Senior member. Oi! Less of the senior please
Location
The world
Quite near Arnhem is the Hoge Veluwe National Park. It has the Kroller-Muller museum in the middle - IMO one of the Netherlands 4-5 unmissable sites.

South of Maastricht is Eben Emael the Belgian Maginot style fortress overrun by German paratrooper in May 1940. I have spotted it is now open quite often, another reason to think about Maastricht.
 

xilios

Veteran
Location
Maastricht, NL
Near Arnhem are the National Parks of De Hoge Veluwe and De Veluwezoom. My wife and I rode through the Veluwezoom in Oct. not to be missed. North of that it's really flat and boring, we rode 100kms days and felt like we didn't go anywhere.
I would recomend heading south, like Bof said to Maastricht, Eben Emael a few war cemeteries etc..
Living here I have riden throughout the area many times, you wont be disappointed.
cheers
 

Penfold

New Member
Having visited Arnhem I know you will love the town (and it'd bars :smile: )

Well worth a look is Oosterbeek the town near to arnhem where the airborne troops set up their HQ. The HQ building is now a museum outlining the attack and its reasons for 'failure' etc. Oosterbeek has some fantastic memorials dotted around the town recounting individual battles and acts of heroism by both the troops and the locals. Get a guide book to get the best from the town.
Also take a ride out to Genkel Heath, the only open ground for miles,this is where all the airborne troops landed to attack the arnhem bridge. Believe me you will be shocked at just how far away they were dropped.

The Dutch people are friendly and almost all speak great English. There are some nice campsites in the area too should you wish to camp.

If I can help at all let me know

Enjoy, Penfold :becool:
 
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old donald

New Member
Yep - I am up for camping - haven't finalised a route yet but it looks like the route the guards took before Lord Carrington broke for tea at Nijmengen - followed by Arnhem, Oosterbeek and then a route around the Reichswald and on to Eben Emael - been there before but it was only a quick stop over between the swimming pool at the local centre parcs near Bree.

End of April early May - bought a new camera to boot, As you can tell I am looking forward to it

To confess I studied history at University - so this is my excuse (next Stop Cannae or Borodino?).
 

Penfold

New Member
Try this campsite.

http://www.campingwarnsborn.nl/en/

We stayed here for the 60th annivesary of the Arnhem raid. What a weekend. :smile:

What is very moving (as you may be aware) is that the Dutch school children still 'adopt' a grave to look after, they place flowers on 'their man' throughout the year.

We managed to watch a Para drop at Genkel Heath with some of the original Arnhem raid troops dropping in on tandem chutes (Not bad for blokes in their eighties) It was brilliant stuff.

Have a great trip its a fantastic choice of route.

Wouldn't mind doing the 'line' of the Somme one day :smile:
 
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