Everyone should make the Netherlands a destination.

[tribanjules]

I'm going on this trip for 3rd year.
Great people great routes

https://www.bike-events.co.uk/Ride.aspx?id=618&n=y

 

[snorri]

The picture is from somewhere between Spijkenisse and Hellevoetsluis. Whilst it looks rural, it’s only just a little south of Rotterdam and I rode past this a few minutes before I got there...

When I cycle into that area, Botlek, Maasvlakte, Europoort, I have a job dragging myself away!
The contrasts are interesting, the small town of Brielle so close to heavy industry yet 'retains its old world charm' and has a good campsite.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Where is this, these are the kind of stretches I'd want to ride!

There's surprisingly lots of stretches like that all over the country. Just remember that if the weather is good there'll be lots of people in your view

From Haarlem you could follow the coast down, turn off for Delft, from there, there's a canal you can follow all the way to Rotterdam.

All around Utrecht is nice to cycle, and I'd suggest staying east of Hilversum on the way to Huizen.

Enjoy!

 

[User169]

My favorite crossing. There’s a sensor, so that when it rains, more priority is give to bikes.

 

[Sixmile]

For someone who has never been to Holland before, how safe is riding around the cities at night time? I know everything is relative, but when we go away next weekend, I plan to bring a decent set of lights with me and go for a spin around each place (Rotterdam, Utrecht, Huizen) in the late evening to do a bit of extra exploring/sightseeing. I'm not expecting South Africa style hold ups, but has anyone experienced any issues later in the day or is it not a factor at all?

 

[User169]

For someone who has never been to Holland before, how safe is riding around the cities at night time? I know everything is relative, but when we go away next weekend, I plan to bring a decent set of lights with me and go for a spin around each place (Rotterdam, Utrecht, Huizen) in the late evening to do a bit of extra exploring/sightseeing. I'm not expecting South Africa style hold ups, but has anyone experienced any issues later in the day or is it not a factor at all?

Ridden around Rotterdam and Utrecht plenty late at night. You are very unlikely to have any problems at all.

 

[User169]

Experienced a new hazard this morning - a bicycle policeman riding in the opposite direction swerving all over the road. He was riding no hands and texting on his mobile.

 

[mjr]

Experienced a new hazard this morning - a bicycle policeman riding in the opposite direction swerving all over the road. He was riding no hands and texting on his mobile.

I've seen cycling police over here do various questionable things but that's another level Did anyone dare say anything?

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Another reason... I was away this weekend and paid the princely sum of Euro 4 for a pitch at a mini-camping at a farm, including hot water, toilet paper(!), Wifi and eggs in the morning from the free-range chickens wandering around my tent!

 

[ceepeebee]

Hi all, Long time no see....

Next week I’m over there for my 9th consecutive annual bumble round the breweries. De Molen may well be visited, along with Het Uiltje and Kaapse. Other than that i’m Going to try relaxing, I’ve heard it’s quite good.

Cycling over there though is just so........ civilised...... Not to mention the fact that the lack of hills suits my build...

Different route this time though - Hull to Europoort as we’ve moved back up North, which means schlepping through some of DPs refineries (which have a kind of beauty about them). There are some massively bucolic bits to cycle through in the Randstad though, one of my favourite stretches is round Duivenoorde castle, loads of fields, cows, streams... then in the distance the towers of Rotterdam one way and Den Haag the other appearing through breaks in the trees.

 

[Sixmile]

This time next week I'll be on my flight to Holland. It's a country I've never visited before so really looking forward to it. I've started pulling together more detailed journey particulars as one guy in our group makes you justify every road, turn and junction. On Tuesday night past we had our dry run of putting our bikes into the bags which then turned into a discussion on who's bringing helmets and who's not.

 

[swansonj]

This time next week I'll be on my flight to Holland. It's a country I've never visited before so really looking forward to it. I've started pulling together more detailed journey particulars as one guy in our group makes you justify every road, turn and junction. On Tuesday night past we had our dry run of putting our bikes into the bags which then turned into a discussion on who's bringing helmets and who's not.

We took the ferry over a couple of weeks ago. I was surprised by three things in succession:

• how many bicycles there were - about thirty i'd guess
• how many were not just modern "road bikes" (sic) - there were a whole range of older or less mainstream kit: tandems, a Hewitt, a couple of Dawes and Raleighs of a generation to have downtube shifters, a couple of titaniums of a touring ilk, several trad saddlebags etc
• given the above, and the destination, how few non-helmet wearers there were. I think in fact we were the only ones.

 

[mjr]

• how many bicycles there were - about thirty i'd guess

You got a quiet crossing!

 

[The Crofted Crest]

a discussion on who's bringing helmets and who's not.

Leave the helmets at home along with the hi viz and any inclination to ride in single file or use hand signals.

ETA:
@swansonj , down tube shifters are seriously hip in Holland.

 

[Sixmile]

We took the ferry over a couple of weeks ago. I was surprised by three things in succession:

• how many bicycles there were - about thirty i'd guess
• how many were not just modern "road bikes" (sic) - there were a whole range of older or less mainstream kit: tandems, a Hewitt, a couple of Dawes and Raleighs of a generation to have downtube shifters, a couple of titaniums of a touring ilk, several trad saddlebags etc
• given the above, and the destination, how few non-helmet wearers there were. I think in fact we were the only ones

One of our group is bringing his dad's Dawes. We're not bringing our road bikes after reading others experiences. We're going for hybrids in more casual clothing.

Leave the helmets at home along with the hi viz and any inclination to ride in single file or use hand signals.

I'm not bringing mine but 2 guys are (4 going).