# A ride to the Netherlands



## totallyfixed (8 Sep 2013)

It was an easy choice to make, we have friends in Nijmegen who we haven't seen for years since they lived in Cambridge [they are both Dutch] so with less than a month to go, no problem......................I thought! At this point I will say a public thanks to 4F who put me in touch with Auntie Helen who provided some useful information.
The thorniest problem was where to stay, we intended to tour for 8 - 10 days plus the time cycling in the UK. It was decided that it was a bridge too far [get it?] to cycle to Harwich without a stop, plus we really wanted to arrive in the Netherlands in the morning as the first day might not be straightforward [I should have been a prophet]. We joined a Dutch organisation called Vrienden op de Fiets [Friends on bikes], if you ever intend to tour in the NL then I can't recommend this organisation enough, it costs 10 euros for the year and you then get access to a an internet map with addresses of families who offer accommodation for usually one night and contact them either by phone or email, we chose the latter for obvious reasons and usually had replies within 24 hrs.
It was all coming together although the price for travelling on the night boat to The Hook of Holland from Harwich was a bit steep I thought., oh well too late to stop now. 
Packing was extremely easy, the bikes were good fast Audax bikes, a Condor Fratello [dr_pink] and a Spa Cycles steel audax, just 2 panniers each plus a bar bag for me, 1 extra spare inner tube and 3 or 4 spare bolts.
That was it, we were ready! 
We got the earliest train from Oakham on a Sunday [which at 12.45 goes a long way towards what is wrong with this country] to Cambridge to see friends then a swift 44 miles with a tailwind to Woolpit and an overnight stop with another good friend, from there an easy 40 miles to Harwich for the overnight boat. We arrived with loads of time to spare and had the proverbial fish & chips overlooking the sea before heading to the docks.
Unfortunately there was a problem with the ship's door so we stood around with quite a few other cyclists [mainly Dutch] and a few motor cyclists and watched a great sunset





Eventually long after it had gone dark we headed up the ramp along with our new found friends, when we came to a halt halfway up collective groans ensued so I got to the front and pointed my camera which raised a cheer, I think my favourite photo of the entire trip.




By the time we eventually boarded and the bikes just plonked against whatever wall space we could find it was almost 11pm. Nevertheless after a shower in an immaculate cabin [I was starting to get impressed] we hit the bar with many of the other cyclists and talked until we realised we would only get
4 hours sleep before docking, gulp! 
I should point out now that my method of navigation once in the NL was going to be by cardmin, ie, I write names of places on a piece of card and hope to find them somewhere. as well as this tried and trusted method I had a 1 in a zillion scale map of the whole of the NL, oh well.
I had wanted to see Delft but it didn't feature on my route which was up the coast to Alkmaar, our first night's stop, however we had met 2 lovely Dutch girls who had been touring in the UK who lived in Delft so we went with them, a bit potty really because we had a long ride ahead of us without veering inland.
dr_pink and our 2 new friends getting lost





Eventually we arrived in Delft after many dead ends and wrong turns, obviously they haven't yet progressed to cardmin over here I thought. They were great though, I got to see one of their houses and then they treated us to the best apple cake in the NL.




I could have happily stayed in wonderful Delft a lot longer but time was trickling away and still over 60 miles to go we had to say our farewells with promises to keep in touch, so with an escort out to point us in the right direction we were off.
Part 2 to follow, Cyclepaths extraodinaire, bridges, dykes [the earthen type] and mirages.


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## Sara_H (8 Sep 2013)

Fab, don't keep us waiting too long for part two!


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## Hill Wimp (9 Sep 2013)

Hear hear looking forward to part 2 as i quite fancy popping across to do some cycling there, may have to get some panniers though.


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## Sara_H (9 Sep 2013)

Hill Wimp said:


> Hear hear looking forward to part 2 as i quite fancy popping across to do some cycling there, may have to get some panniers though.


Me too, I harbour a secret ambition to cycle from my house to Amsterdam (with a bit of help from a boat inbetween).


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## Hill Wimp (9 Sep 2013)

I


Sara_H said:


> Me too, I harbour a secret ambition to cycle from my house to Amsterdam (with a bit of help from a boat inbetween).


 I will do the boat to wherever in Holland but I'm not cycling to Harwich from Kent. I know to avid tourers that's how it should be and its probably doable but I will leave that bit to them.
I want to do it as it's flat and everyone I know that's done it loved it.


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## Sara_H (9 Sep 2013)

See, I could do Sheffield to Hull. Apparently its not that bad, the Sheffield CTC did it a while back.


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## Sara_H (9 Sep 2013)

TBH, I want to go just so I can have some of that apple pie!


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## User169 (9 Sep 2013)

totallyfixed said:


> and then they treated us to the best apple cake in the NL.


 
Kobus Kuch - an essential stop in Delft!


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## totallyfixed (9 Sep 2013)

Delftse Post said:


> Kobus Kuch - an essential stop in Delft!



Now that sounds like another good reason to return! I will email our friends in Delft and ask them about that.


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## User169 (9 Sep 2013)

totallyfixed said:


> Now that sounds like another good reason to return! I will email our friends in Delft and ask them about that.



Kobus Kuch is the cafe they took you to! I recognize the cake and it really is one of the best in NL.


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## Hill Wimp (9 Sep 2013)

@Rockymountain and Mrs RM went to Holland cycling in the summer and they had loads of lovely cake as Rocky kept posting the pics. 

I can feel a gourmet cycle tour of Holland coming on for 2014.


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## Doseone (9 Sep 2013)

Really enjoyed reading your account. I really fancy a cycling trip to NL, I like the look of the area around Maastricht.


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## User169 (9 Sep 2013)

Doseone said:


> Really enjoyed reading your account. I really fancy a cycling trip to NL, I like the look of the area around Maastricht.



It's a great place for riding and the only place in NL that you get hills - not long, but they can get quite steep. The restaurants are better too, if you're into that sort of thing. You also have the option of crossing over into Belgium and Germany: Liege and Aachen are both pretty close. It does get a bit busy though - I was down that way a couple of weeks ago at the office annual bike ride and there were huge numbers of cyclists out and about.


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## Doseone (9 Sep 2013)

Delftse Post said:


> It's a great place for riding and the only place in NL that you get hills - not long, but they can get quite steep. The restaurants are better too, if you're into that sort of thing. You also have the option of crossing over into Belgium and Germany: Liege and Aachen are both pretty close. It does get a bit busy though - I was down that way a couple of weeks ago at the office annual bike ride and there were huge numbers of cyclists out and about.


Thanks. A quick google image search and Aachen looks quite nice, but I had a friend who lived in Liege for a while and wasn't too impressed. Its one of those areas thats always appealed. Although I have no connection, I like the NL and I like the Dutch.


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## Hill Wimp (10 Sep 2013)

I always consider the Dutch the normal ones in Europe. You never hear of anything weird or horrible going on there and they always smile. Plus they always seem to get things right.

Total aberration i am sure but it always seems this way.

I will add that if they play any sport that i am watching and it's not against England then they have my support and they have a few lovely looking cyclists on their national team.


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