Zeeland

[Bodhbh]

Me and a mate are thinking of taking the ferry over to Dunkirk for a long weekend in a couple of weeks. One of the routes under consideration is Dunkirk to Brugges, then up thru Temeuzen and on to Hook of Holland ferry via the Zeeland Islands.

Main question is - are the links between the islands cyclable? We don't want to head that way and find out we can't get across. Are they bridges or tunnels? Any recommendations on routes or places to go on the islands?

 

[CycleTourer]

You will have no troubles crossing between the Zeeland islands the LF 1 cycle route runs right along them from Sluis in the south to Hook Van Holland. It is quite a nice route.

You can see the route if you dial it into the Fietsplanner here, it is in Dutch but it is not too difficult to work it out.

Jon

 

[Tony]

There are no problems with the ferries, and they always break up a day's ride nicely. Have a look at the Dutchflyer website for deals on getting to Harwich.

 

[snorri]

From Brugge it would be more direct to head for Breskens via Sluis, unless you really want to go to Terneuzen. The ferry for Vlissingen leaves from near Breskens. (No cycles allowed in the tunnel under the Scheldt)http://www.vlissingen.nl/English/Welcome/The-city/Accessibility-transport/Ferry-and-tunnel.htm
Things to see, depends on your interests, but I found the activity around the waterfront in Vlissingen of interest, also the maritime museum there. Further north on the island of Neeltje Jans there is Delta Expo. I think you can also get inside the sea wall at Haringvlietdam to see how the sluices work.
http://www.deltawerken.com/Haringvliet-Dam/327.html
Brielle is an attractive little town to look around, also Maassluis with its tug museum and ships old and new. On the New Waterway between Maassluis and Hoek you can visit another exhibition describing the Storm Barrier. At Hoek itself there is a place which helps you identify the vessels and describes their trade as you see them passing up and down the Waterway.
http://www.neeltjejans.nl/index.php/en/deltaworks/delta-expo
http://park.org/Netherlands/pavilions/techno/svk/engels/bezoek/index.html

 

[Bodhbh]

From Brugge it would be more direct to head for Breskens via Sluis, unless you really want to go to Terneuzen. The ferry for Vlissingen leaves from near Breskens. (No cycles allowed in the tunnel under the Scheldt)http://www.vlissingen.nl/English/Welcome/The-city/Accessibility-transport/Ferry-and-tunnel.htm
Things to see, depends on your interests, but I found the activity around the waterfront in Vlissingen of interest, also the maritime museum there. Further north on the island of Neeltje Jans there is Delta Expo. I think you can also get inside the sea wall at Haringvlietdam to see how the sluices work.
http://www.deltawerken.com/Haringvliet-Dam/327.html

Cheers for all that Snorri, no we don't really want to go to Terneuzen, just I thought that was the best crossing point, but it seems it's the ferry at little further West. Currently quite keen to see the sea defenses so all that's good, other than that some good food and beer and think we'll be happy. Hopefully get the chance to read around it a bit more over the weekend. Jon, thanks, that's pretty simple then! (v useful website btw, have used it in the past, but sometimes forget where to look).

 

[Tony]

Be aware that a lot of the "seeing the sea defences" consists of riding a track behind the dyke, often with some nasty leg-biting sheep gates, and no sea view.

 

[Bodhbh]

Be aware that a lot of the "seeing the sea defences" consists of riding a track behind the dyke, often with some nasty leg-biting sheep gates, and no sea view.

Tony, thanks - point taken. Quite keen to have a look overthere - last year been over a couple of times on weekends from Dunkirk and only made it as far as Brugge before turning back. This time will have another 3 days and want to have a look at those bloody islands on the map

 

[Fietslogies]

This bicycle route planner (also in Dutch) shows more possibilities to crisscross Zeeland (and Vlaanderen):
http://www.fietsnet.be/routeplanner. But for the Dutch provinces of Zuid-Holland and Noord-Holland, it's of no use (yet).