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Netherlands Delight

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A wonderful introduction to cycling in the Netherlands, where life seems to be arranged around the bicycle. Our tour has simple access to the start and finish and visits some extremely pretty towns and overnight stops, including Amsterdam. With climbing over the five days negligible, and manageable days, this tour will appeal to those who want a relaxed break in historic surroundings with no pressure to ride fast as it's all easy!

Highlights include:

The north sea coastal bike path though sand dunes and nature reserves
Historic Leiden
Amsterdam with ample chance to explore
Edam and Gouda, famed for their cheese the world over
Canals and windmills in abundance including the famous Kinderdijk
Flat cycling with a superb cycling infrastructure and attitude

Your Next Adventure Awaits

What you need to know...

Start Location
Hook of Holland

Finish Location
Hook of Holland

Country/Region
Netherlands and Belgium

Grading
Moderate

Shortest Day
32 miles

Longest Day
53 miles

Total Days
5

Total Miles
220

Departure Dates & Prices

There are no available dates at this moment.
Please choose an alternative Tour or check back soon.

Itinerary

Day 1

We meet in the Hook of Holland after the arrival of the overnight ferry, allowing both those who have come over on the boat and those who arrived earlier a chance for breakfast. After our initial safety and information brief, we ride up the coast on a cycle path through wonderful sand dunes with frequent glimpses of the fantastic beaches and the north sea. After a lunch stop in the nice resort of Schevengingen we enter a nature reserve with an abundance of birdlife - a real delight. We end in a delightful town near the Hague with canals and an impressive windmill! A very straightforward day and a perfect introduction to cycling in the Netherlands. (Dinner included; 32 miles / 50 km).

Day 2

Another completely flat day starts along a canal before cutting across country - but it won't be long before you see more water! You'll start to notice all the wildfowl everywhere and the flocks of birds - ducks, geese, swans and smaller songbirds everywhere. You'll also see evidence of the huge flower industry as we skirt Schipol on the way to Amsterdam for the night, entering the city by a quiet and pretty route in good time to explore the fascinating metropolis. There is planty to see and do - perhaps a canal boat trip or a visit to Anne Franck's house (but book well in advance as it always sells out). (Breakfast included; 34 miles / 54 km).

Day 3

From Amsterdam we take a ferry across the Ij river and very soon are out in open country, passing thatched windmills on our way to Edam for coffee. There's a chance to visit a cheese shop and see the old cheese market in this pretty town before heading back south along a fantastic road along a dyke with the sea to the left, and returning to pass east of Amsterdam to our nautical hotel for the night. There is a climb, but only over a bridge and you will also see some wonderful vestiges of the country's seafaring history and wonderful architecture. (Breakfast included; 53 miles / 84 km).

Day 4

Another really pretty day today as we ride south to another cheese town for the night. There are canals aplenty and some wonderful lanes alongside them as you ride past windmills with barges chugging beside you whilst giving you cheery waves. There's a great lunch stop in a small town square, then more quiet lanes until the destination, accessed by bike paths and with a wonderful town hall dominating the main square where we will eat tonight. (Breakfast and dinner included; 47 miles / 76 km)

Day 5

The last day takes us to the iconic row of windmills on the Kinderdijk. We take another ferry, across the Rhine, then enjoy tracking the river to the famous viewpoint. It may be the busiest part of the trip (pedestrians, not traffic) but well worth visiting. After lunch we head back to the Hook for the ferry home and you will pass through Rotterdam before a final stretch along the Rhine towpath in good time for a meal ashore before the ferry home. (Breakfast included; 53 miles / 83km).

Extra nights before / after can be catered for easily, please ask)

Some Tour Photos...

A couple of ferry trips required

Amsterdam

Cheese!

Cycling on the dykes

Dutch windmill

Fantastic architecture

Gateway to Leiden

Gouda town hall

Historic towns

Leiden

More windmills!

Road through a windmill!

Superb cycling infrastructure

Wonderful cycle routes along the waterways

Travel Information

By far the best way to arrive from the UK is on a cyclist ticket on the Harwich to Hook of Holland ferry (Stena line). This has a train station served from London Liverpool Street and a car park on site.

Click here for our Travel Information page.