# halifax to hull, zeebrugge to bruges, any tips?



## moia (17 Sep 2009)

Hi, we are new to cycling and not massively confident. We are planning to visit friends in Bruges in october.

I understand there is a canal towpath route from Zeebrugge to Bruges - please can anyone recommend any websites, maps etc to avoid us getting lost, ending up in france etc...? I'm fairly ok navigating traffic in Bradford so can probably cope with anything but would like an easy route off the ferry so we don't end up on a motor way dodging juggernauts!?

Am also thinking of getting the train from Halifax to Hull with the bikes but out of interest, how long would it take to cycle and what is the best way to go?

cheers, 
moia


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## Bodhbh (17 Sep 2009)

On the England side you could use the Trans Pennine trail to at least cover some of the journey to Hull rather than the train:

http://www.transpenninetrail.org.uk/

Not ridden the canal from Zeebrugge, but I have a hunch it is pretty massive and would be easy ask directions and pick up from the docks.


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## Brains (17 Sep 2009)

Zeebrugge/Brugge is a cyclists dream 
Just follow the signs, it's not far


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## Arch (17 Sep 2009)

If you got the train to York, then Sustrans route 66 or route 65 would take you to Hull, via either completely flat, or gently rolling terrain and you could do it in a leisurely day. (that's based on a 10 mph average, and decent breaks for lunch/rests etc). A very rough route calculation tells me it's 45-50 miles depending on route. (that's mostly via route 66 I think)


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## Tony (17 Sep 2009)

Zeeby to Brugge is so short you won'teven notice it.


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## Soltydog (18 Sep 2009)

I cycled from Hornsea to Halfax a few months ago, about 80 miles, so should be about the same to Hull, depends on your speed, but took me a good few hours 

If you do get the train over, it may be cheaper to split your journey & book tickets in advance, ie Halifax to Leeds, then Leeds to Hull


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## Fietslogies (19 Sep 2009)

*Brugge - Zeebrugge x 2*

Hi Moia,

You're really lucky as there are even two canals available between Brugge (Bruges) and Zeebrugge! Both with cyclist friendly infrastructure.
If you go to http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Ghent-Bruges
you will be immediately able to deduct both. 

The straight line between Brugge and Zeebrugge is the Boudewijnkanaal. It's huge and maybe less appealing to cyclists as it's partially lined up with industry and port activity. The only bright spot is the small and impressing village of Lissewege. It's only 15 km. 

The other solution counts 22 km and will lead you along three magnificent old canals, lined up with trees and presenting a bit more the beauty of the flemish countryside. Using the towpaths of the Leopoldkanaal, the Schipdonkkanaal and the Damse Vaart, you will discover the small city of Damme, also a major tourist spot.

Kind regards,


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## zaid (19 Sep 2009)

If you can cope with Bradford roads, you'll deffinately be fine anywhere.


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## Fietslogies (19 Sep 2009)

*Road planner for cyclists*

Other useful stuff for cyclists in Flanders is this roadplanner for cyclists :

http://www.fietsnet.be/routeplanner/default.aspx

Very easy to use and completely signposted! If you look up the region between Brugge and Zeebrugge, you will notice that they confirm my opinion in my earlier post today. They do hardly make use of the straightforward Boudewijnkanaal and prefer the smaller canals more to the east.


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## BalkanExpress (19 Sep 2009)

Fietslogies said:


> The other solution counts 22 km and will lead you along three magnificent old canals, lined up with trees and presenting a bit more the beauty of the flemish countryside. Using the towpaths of the Leopoldkanaal, the Schipdonkkanaal and the Damse Vaart, you will discover the small city of Damme, also a major tourist spot.
> 
> Kind regards,



Big +1. On a sunny October day this is a great ride: autumn leaves reflected in the still water of the canal, pretty villages, pancakes in Damme before heaning into Bruges

Of course when its heaving rain and you are facing into a strong headwind it is a little less fun.

You do not say how long you have in Bruges, so here are a few ideas if you have a day or two. The town itself is easy to cycle around and once you are out of the main tourist areas is very calm and beautiful.

If you like the football then there are two sides in Bruges,, it is worth while going to a game just for the experience of cycling to a match, there are big cycle racks outside the ground.

The Belgian coast is highly developed and, to me at least, lacks charm. The exception to this is De Haan (beware 10 years since i was there) which is close to Bruges (south east). 

Also close to the north is Knokke-Heist, the town is so-so buut there is a pretty nature reserve which runs from it to the Dutch border (if I recall) and the dunes, here the coast is more natural and un spoilt.

For other ideas Rich P has a journal on CGOAB of his tour from this spring.

One final tip: Westmalle Trappist Tripel...be VERY careful


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## Ebola (7 Oct 2009)

The world is truly a small place! 
I stumbled on this when looking for some information help my friends who are traveling to Brugge to stay with us in October!!! 
I have actually found some useful things from the links here!
Going via Damme to Brugge is nicer; yes there some nice little cafes though place itself is quite touristy and fairly small and busy.
If the river cruise is still running you can have a quiet chortle at the fake Mississippi paddle steamer as you speed past it!
At the end of either of the canal routes you hit the ring road which has a separate cycle path and is nice and safe. It get a bit more complicated when you try and get closer to our house as Scheepsdalelaan is completely dug up and Scheepsdale Bridge will be closed to all trafic by the time you arrive... perhaps the easiest thing would be for me to meet you before you hit the ring road?
Cheers
Micky


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## moia (8 Oct 2009)

haha - you're my first friend ever on a forum! would be lovely to meet you by the ring road... does that mean you've been cycling around?

xxc


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## Ebola (9 Oct 2009)

Yeah we have been cycling loads... we have even been going to the Saturday market to do our veg shopping: fully kitted out with panniers, baskets, etc.
Cycling here could not be easier: you are even allowed to cycle the wrong way down certain one way streets! 
My only complaint is the cobbles!!! However that is only in the city centre... and in some places they have a tarmac bike path which is kinder on the old bum 
It would be best to meet before the ring road... you just need to decide if you are coming via the scenic route or not 
Drop me a line, as I'm not sure what email is best 4 u, and we can sort out a bit more of the detail.
Cheers
Micky


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## andyfromotley (9 Oct 2009)

Hi moia,

you could easi;y take a very nice route from your house to your friends. come out of bradford, towards otley, overtoward knareborugh then york. Lots of back roads, pretty flat. A night on google maps should sort this route out, spend the night in york, then take the cycle route someone else described on to hull, its a really nice trip. If you pm me i will even supply you with a cup of tea when you come through otley.

enjoy it anyway.

andy


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## HelenD123 (10 Oct 2009)

andyfromotley said:


> Hi moia,
> 
> you could easi;y take a very nice route from your house to your friends. come out of bradford, towards otley, overtoward knareborugh then york. Lots of back roads, pretty flat. A night on google maps should sort this route out, spend the night in york, *then take the cycle route someone else described on to hull*, its a really nice trip. If you pm me i will even supply you with a cup of tea when you come through otley.
> 
> ...



You can't go too far wrong by just following Sustrans route 66 from York to Hull. Or take a more southern route from home and get on the Trans Pennine Trail. I've local to Hull and have cycled to the ferry port so just let me know if you need any more information.


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## moia (10 Oct 2009)

*splitting the train journey*



Soltydog said:


> I cycled from Hornsea to Halfax a few months ago, about 80 miles, so should be about the same to Hull, depends on your speed, but took me a good few hours
> 
> If you do get the train over, it may be cheaper to split your journey & book tickets in advance, ie Halifax to Leeds, then Leeds to Hull



just checked the train prices...
sowerby bridge to hull - £24.30 return
leeds to hull £12 return! plus sowerby bridge to leeds approx £4 each way but I have a metro card! 

definitely worth it! cheers


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## moia (3 Nov 2009)

thanks for all your replies - we had a fantastic trip...

only downsides were finding signposts - to the ferry port in hull - we ended up scarily cycling the wrong way downa dual carriageway on the verge for a few hundred metres! and it was a bit difficult to work out where we were going in zeebrugge - we weren't lost but weren't quite sure that we were in the right place! but we know now...

so much better to cycle over there - it's like a different world!


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