Starting to plan - Netherlands

[All uphill]

Last May a friend and I took the ferry to NL and cycled from the Hoek van Holland to stay with my son in his home in Groningen. We had a great time over 8 days, but got soaked too many times.

This May I'm planning to get the ferry again, but booking last minute when the forecast looks better. This time I will travel alone, meeting my son in Ghent or Brugge. Crossing the big rivers looks good.

I have the Vrienden op Fietsen gids.

I don't know the south of NL or Belgium at all well, so this will be an adventure.

Exciting!

 

[Slick]

Last May a friend and I took the ferry to NL and cycled from the Hoek van Holland to stay with my son in his home in Groningen. We had a great time over 8 days, but got soaked too many times.

This May I'm planning to get the ferry again, but booking last minute when the forecast looks better. This time I will travel alone, meeting my son in Ghent or Brugge. Crossing the big rivers looks good.

I have the Vrienden op Fietsen gids.

I don't know the south of NL or Belgium at all well, so this will be an adventure.

Exciting!

I'm immediately envious, as I reckon our best holiday was when we locked our front door and cycled a lovely wee loop from Imjuiden to Utrecht and came back via Haarlem and the Haig. I loved our night in the Haig, as Mrs Slick spotted some shops and I sat and got quietly blootered after a cracking steak dinner, brilliant. Wasn't the best route, but it was still fantastic. Would love do it again with maybe a wee detour into Belgium. Enjoy

 

[sevenfourate]

Not exactly my thing per-se. But I love seeing anyone actually doing something they have a clear and obvious passion for ! It’s infectious….and what’s life’s about.

Enjoy the build-up, the planning and the doing. Not too far away now….👍 Oh: and don’t forget to share your pics after - with us less fortunate 😎

 

[wafter]

Very jealous - absolutely love the Netherlands and would love to do a cycle tour there one day... maybe I should take the opportunity while I sit out the housing crash...

I trust you'll be keeping us updated

 

[All uphill]

Very jealous - absolutely love the Netherlands and would love to do a cycle tour there one day... maybe I should take the opportunity while I sit out the housing crash...

I trust you'll be keeping us updated

I will.

I have strong ties to the Netherlands so its an obvious place for a bit of cycle touring for me.

Maybe it would be a good place for you, too, @wafter . Easy to get to, easy to get around and different enough to be interesting. Go for it!

 

[Slick]

Aa man, what have you started?

I've been on nothing but websites planning a sneaky week away. Currently Mrs Slick isn't really up for it, (Oo er vicar) but I reckon she can be persuaded if we get a wee bit of sun.

 

[The Crofted Crest]

It's been throwing it down here all day. Hope it clears up for tomorrow and the Alpe du Fles.

 

[Slick]

It's been throwing it down here all day. Hope it clears up for tomorrow and the Alpe du Fles.

Good luck.

 

[All uphill]

Aa man, what have you started?

I've been on nothing but websites planning a sneaky week away. Currently Mrs Slick isn't really up for it, (Oo er vicar) but I reckon she can be persuaded if we get a wee bit of sun.

Where are you thinking of?

Strangely Ms AU seems quite happy at the prospect of a week without me.

 

[Slick]

Where are you thinking of?

Strangely Ms AU seems quite happy at the prospect of a week without me.

This one looked interesting.

https://www.hollandcyclingroutes.com/long-distance-cycle-routes/rijnfietsroute

I would need to make it interesting for my better half, but I reckon I could cover that.

 

[Slick]

This one looked interesting.

https://www.hollandcyclingroutes.com/long-distance-cycle-routes/rijnfietsroute

I would need to make it interesting for my better half, but I reckon I could cover that.

It would probably be an overnight stay for us to get to the start line, or maybe just head for Rotterdam from the boat.

 

[The Crofted Crest]

This one looked interesting.

https://www.hollandcyclingroutes.com/long-distance-cycle-routes/rijnfietsroute

I would need to make it interesting for my better half, but I reckon I could cover that.

If you're taking the ferry to IJmuiden, plot a route to Millingen aan de Rijn (150 km taking in Amsterdam and Arnhem, and lots of natural parks and woodlands) then pedal back down the Rhine to the Hook (175 km via Nijmegen and Rotterdam). Then a home stretch up the LF1 coast route back to IJmuiden (70 km, with options of visiting Delft, Leiden, Haarlem, etc.).

 

[Julia9054]

I love a Netherlands bike tour. End of May we are getting the Newcastle-Ijmuiden ferry and cycling up to Den Helder, across to Edam and skirting under Amsterdam to Leiden. Happy days.
Last year we went to Rotterdam and cycled down the coast. The Dutch schools are not on holiday at this time and it doesn't seem to be somewhere the British go so we had the rare experience of beaches to ourselves in half term.

 

[All uphill]

If you're taking the ferry to IJmuiden, plot a route to Millingen aan de Rijn (150 km taking in Amsterdam and Arnhem, and lots of natural parks and woodlands) then pedal back down the Rhine to the Hook (175 km via Nijmegen and Rotterdam). Then a home stretch up the LF1 coast route back to IJmuiden (70 km, with options of visiting Delft, Leiden, Haarlem, etc.).

View attachment 683906

I like that, thanks.

I'll probably borrow your leg from the Hoek to Millingen aan de Rijn, then head south-west towards Gent. Hmmm.

 

[The Crofted Crest]

I love a Netherlands bike tour. End of May we are getting the Newcastle-Ijmuiden ferry and cycling up to Den Helder, across to Edam and skirting under Amsterdam to Leiden. Happy days.
Last year we went to Rotterdam and cycled down the coast. The Dutch schools are not on holiday at this time and it doesn't seem to be somewhere the British go so we had the rare experience of beaches to ourselves in half term.

Top tip for Den Helder: the De Nollen sculpture park. The website is in Dutch and you have to book a two-hour guided tour (which will probably also be in Dutch, although a kind guide might give you the gist in English) but it is the only thing worth seeing in the town. YMMV but I doubt it.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHKV1WCFyGI