North Sea Cycle Route: Hook of Holland to Esbjerg

[CopperBrompton]

Well, it's nearly 2013 and it's about time to plan a cycling adventure for the new year.

Having done a bit of the North Sea Cycle Route from the Hook of Holland to Amsterdam and absolutely loved it, I'm thinking of extending a wee bit further north.

The original thought was Hamburg, but the ferries back to Blighty no longer seem to run from there, so continuing on to Esbjerg in Denmark (from whence a ferry can be caught back to Harwich) would seem the logical next step. The route includes the 20-mile Afsluitdijk causeway, which looks rather lovely on a sunny day though I imagine somewhat bleak on a wet & windy one! I shall book good weather.

My precision distance measuring system (setting the googlemap scale so that one thumb-width is 50 miles) suggests that it's around 6-700 miles in total. I'm thinking of doing it over 10 days, assuming the rest of it is as flat as the Dutch bit I've done?

Anyone done this? All input welcome.

And if you're interested in joining me, that would be cool too.

Ben

 

[Tigerbiten]

I'm thinking of going that route but then keep going north for the ferry to Iceland.
But I'll only be doing around 40 miles per day due to the damage in my knees.
So starting mid April, one month to cycle to the Iceland ferry, a couple of months to cycle around Iceland, one to cycle home.
An easy 4k mile tour ............. :P

Also I think you are a bit short on the distance as I make it very roughly 850 miles on Bikehike.

 

[psmiffy]

It is dead easy but a trifle boring -but if you like flat and make sure you visit a few towns along the way for a bit of variety it is tolerable if you have not been before - definitely the right way to go the right way to go - my best ever average flat speed was down the Afsluitdijk - with a huge tailwind - keeping going for the Icelandic ferry sounds a good idea - personally April sounds a bit early - (I think with the prevailing winds you will find yourself doing a bit more than 40/day although the wind gets a bit fickle north of Hamburg) - (also only about 600miles - keeping approximately to the NSCR)

 

[CopperBrompton]

Hmm ... continuing north to Iceland does sound rather tempting! What's the total mileage (one way)? Time and financial constraints would apply, so I'd need to investigate a return trip to the UK by ferries.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Psmiffy, do you have a record of the mileage from Hook of Holland to Esbjerg?

 

[snorri]

The Afsluitdijk fascinating in a weird sort of way, you can help pass the time by checking the calibration of your cycle computer against the road side distance markers. Aim to stop at the cafe half way over to see pictures of the history and construction of the dike. Take a book to read or listen to music as you cycle.
My mileage Rotterdam to Esbjerg was 714 via the ferry Wischhafen-Gluckstadt, I took 14 days with one rest day. There are certainly no hills to slow you down!
I enjoyed this route partly due to my interest in the varied marine activities to be seen along the way.

 

[snorri]

Hmm ... continuing north to Iceland does sound rather tempting! What's the total mileage (one way)? Time and financial constraints would apply, so I'd need to investigate a return trip to the UK by ferries.

Trips to Iceland by ferry are not so convenient now since Smyril Line stopped calling at Lerwick.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Thanks, Snorri - from memory, Rotterdam to Hook of Holland is only about 20 miles, so that suggests pretty much 700 for Hook of Holland to Esbjerg. Did you follow the North Sea Cycle Route the whole way? I don't suppose you (or anyone else) have GPS routes/tracks?

 

[psmiffy]

Psmiffy, do you have a record of the mileage from Hook of Holland to Esbjerg?

I have never actually cycled directly to Esbjerg - but over 3 or 4 tours ive done most of that as far as Bodo

 

[psmiffy]

The Afsluitdijk fascinating in a weird sort of way, you can help pass the time by checking the calibration of your cycle computer against the road side distance markers.

I counted Herons

 

[snorri]

Did you follow the North Sea Cycle Route the whole way? I don't suppose you (or anyone else) have GPS routes/tracks?

Sorry no GPS tracks, but if it's any help, here are my overnight stops Brielle, Gouda, Hilversum, Hoorn, Witmarsum, Groningen, Nieuweschans, Neuenburg, Bremerhaven, Itzehoe, Husum, Tondern, Ribe and Esbjerg.
The route is very simple to follow in NL, with very good signposting, the German section not quite so straightforward, in fact one guy I asked for directions became a friend and we are still in touch 12 years later.
I can't remember if I followed the NSCR religiously, I have a fairly casual approach to route planning.

 

[CopperBrompton]

That's really helpful, thanks. I like to have a fully-planned route, but don't mind deviating from it when circumstances dictate.

 

[Tigerbiten]

I only plan to around the third week.
After that I find that I'm so much fitter that it's hard to plan daily mileages from the start.
So I'll start at around 30-40 miles a day and by week 10 it'll be up to 50-60 miles per day, which is about my upper daily mileage limit.

If I go, it's going to be the first time I've cycled on the continent, so I'm going to have to find out how hard it is to cycle on the right with my disability.
Left turns are going to be more interesting as my left hand is locked onto the handlebar and I'm also going to have to find out how well I can use my left mirror to see behind.

My plan will be to stick as close to the coast as possible and wind my way up it.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

you will find quite a bit of useful information here - http://www.northsea-cycle.com/

I have done some of it in parts and quit on other parts. Done the bit through DK, SW, EN... got bored with the 3 sides of a rectangle to avoid a certain junction routine and have yet to meet anyone who did not agree that some of the weird diversions were a pain in the ass to say the least. Have done some sections through Germany as well.
When we tried to do the Dutch section the winds were too severe to attempt either of the 2 longer dykes and we had no option but to divert around them. Not being able to hold 8kph before getting to the big dyke made me bale and cycle around & down to the ferry.

You should not need to worry about cycling with your disability - I too have a bad left hand and have only some use of it and less feeling (except for pain). In the Netherlands you will find little need for using the roads and when you do, the cars stop for you. In germany if we stopped anywhere near a junction people were trying to check we were OK or if we needed directions and in Denmark they would rather case chaos on a roundabout to get you across rather than drive past without 'helping' you. It is not like cycling in the UK at all, and can take a little getting used to actually having priority....

Out first tour covered the Danish section and out second tour, the Dutch & some of the German section as well as parts of the Swedish section before we headed off inland not long before the NSCR headed off to Norway. http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/my/?o=8S will give you a link to both journals.

 

[CopperBrompton]

you will find quite a bit of useful information here - http://www.northsea-cycle.com/

I spent some time there yesterday trying unsuccessfully to persuade it to show me the route from Hook of Holland to Esbjerg. It seems to not be able to cope with a starting-point in one country and a finishing point in another, which is rather a bizarre failing for that particular site!

It is not like cycling in the UK at all, and can take a little getting used to actually having priority....

And more importantly, getting rapidly unused to it on your return to the UK ...