Netherlands tour

[rich p]

I'm in the early stages of preparing a weeks tour of Holland for next Spring. I spoke to a Dutch bloke on an Italian campsite last year who suggested getting a train from the Hook to Zwolle and cycling north in a circuitous route to Groningen. Time permitting he suggested doing an island like Ameland and either train or cycle back.
Is it permissable to cycle on the A7/E22 between Zurich(?) and Wieringen on the Afsluitdijk.
My spelling may be awry.
Any alternative suggestions would be welcome as my knowledge of the Netherlands is nil.
Is accommodation available easily?
Advice welcome.

 

[chris__P]

Hi Rich

Cycling in Holland is, of course, ridiculously easy. Every main road also has a cycle path running alongside it, which is almost always well-maintained. The only trouble is these aren't terribly interesting, so you might be better off heading off onto the country cycle routes which are often on-road but with little traffic. This works by a numbered system - you follow that number (say 26) until you get to 26. Then there might be 14 to the left and 43 to the right, and often theres a map on a board and you decide whether you want to go to 14 or 43 as it suits and off you go. All you really need is a semi-decent map and you don't really need this, as I found my way without one, just a compass. AND in addition to these country routes, and the cycle paths alongside every main road (which are very well signposted) you also have the LF long distance routes. http://holland.cyclingaroundtheworld.nl/Wheretogo/WhereToGo-LongDistance.html Theres a map on that site and as you can see the LF10 goes between Zurich and Wieringen and so really theres no problem at all. If you follow the LF routes you will probably get a more scenic tour, although obviously less direct. Ones thing is for sure and that is that you will never be stuck for somewhere to cycle

 

[ComedyPilot]

Rich, I am also doing a short trip of the Netherlands in spring, hopefully to co-incide with the tulip fields blooming late April/ early May.

There is a fantastic cycle path over the Afsluitdijk.

This site is a good start point:

http://www.fietsersbond.nl/urlsearchresults.asp?itemnumber=1

 

[rich p]

Thanks for that lads. It's given me something to work on.

 

[psmiffy]

I have just cycled east to west across Holland – As Chris P says there is a cycle path or route for every occasion - the problem with Holland is that it can be a bit samey – a quick check of how many photos I took in the countryside and in towns would seem to indicate that the towns were generally more “interesting” - the country routes are often much longer than the direct routes – On one occasion I had completed 6k of 11k and the cycle route sign said 15k – signing on the country routes is good 95% of the time but every now and the it went free association with I assume quite a few options to get to the same place –nice if you are just wandering and have the time to sort it out but not so good if you want to find a campsite before dark (lots of campsites so would have not been a problem before 30 September) – I would suggest that maps at 100k or better would be a good idea – I was using 200k but luckily had the GPS mapping to dig myself out

Whatever you do cycle north or east – winds can be naughty – crossing the Zuider Zee with the wind behind on a previous tour I averaged 36kph which is the highest I’ve ever done on a heavy bike on the flat

Cycling in Dutch towns was a bit of a culture shock after cycling on generally cycle free roads and paths for a long while – hundreds of cyclists zipping about and expecting you to be doing the same – no idea how you work out who gives way to who – stopping I found to be a bit fraught as there was often people very close behind on narrow paths – Danish one hand in air “I am stopping” didn’t seem to be recognised

 

[rich p]

I expect it to be largely flat, of course, but I was hoping the northern half might have a bleak charm; especially in April!

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Rich I have a full set of cycle maps you can have if it helps.

 

[chris__P]

I think its worth doing. It won't be the most interesting tour in the world, but theres quite a few pretty girls

I expect it to be largely flat, of course, but I was hoping the northern half might have a bleak charm; especially in April!

 

[rich p]

Rich I have a full set of cycle maps you can have if it helps.

That would be useful BoaB. We didn't get it together this week but I've had a dose of the lurgi anyway. I'm away next week but we could try for a ride the week after?

I think its worth doing. It won't be the most interesting tour in the world, but theres quite a few pretty girls

No, I realise it won't be my touring career highlight! Pretty girls, eh? I wonder if I can dump the 3 I'll be with!

 

[Dayvo]

My brother lived in the south of Holland very near to the German and Belgian borders.

It is surprisingly hilly there with a lot of very good cycling terrain/landscapes, and not too far from Luxembourg, which also has plenty of hills!

 

[rich p]

My brother lived in the south of Holland very near to the German and Belgian borders.

It is surprisingly hilly there with a lot of very good cycling terrain/landscapes, and not too far from Luxembourg, which also has plenty of hills!

The people I'm going with are novices so I thought flat would be good. I really liked rural Luxembourg as it happens.

 

[slowmotion]

Whatever you do cycle north or east – winds can be naughty – crossing the Zuider Zee with the wind behind on a previous tour I averaged 36kph which is the highest I’ve ever done on a heavy bike on the flat

I had to laugh reading that. I did a one way ride from Hook of Holland to Amsterdam in September, and caught the train back. I had read about the winds, and cunningly figured that I would ride with the prevailing wind behind me. The prevailing wind is from the south west.

The weekend I went, the wind was from the NE, Beaufort 4. For a beginner like me, it felt like riding through treacle, and it was right on my nose all the way. The people coming towards me on the LF1 were freewheeling and still cracking along. Not good for morale. I had fun though.

 

[Will1962]

I cycled around holland clockwise a couple of months ago, north from Amsterdam, across Friesland and then came south from Groningen via Emmen, Zwolle, and Arnhem.

You can cycle across the Afsluitdijk (LF10), but I wouldn't cycle across in a SW direction unless you are particularly keen on slogging away all day into a strong head wind. Why not head to Starum (Stavoren) and get the ferry across to Enkhuizen instead.

There is a lot of water in Friesland (especially around Sneek), so watch out for the mozzies.

The Frisians have their own language, and many place names are given in dutch & fresian. Make sure your map has place names in both languages.

Will

 

[rich p]

The wind seems to be a recurring factor here!

I'm not particular about the Afsluitdijk but it looks like it might be fun to do?

 

[psmiffy]

sllowmotion- its still good advice - I was not laughing much over the last few weeks cycling into the SWstly across germany and holland from the Polish border