Author Topic: Suggested Routes or Tours in the Netherlands?  (Read 14788 times)

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Offline Hancock

Suggested Routes or Tours in the Netherlands?
« on: May 10, 2012, 10:06:22 am »
I'm a new ACA member, and this is my first post on the forums.

Can anyone suggest any routes or tours in the Netherlands? I'm thinking of heading there in April 2013. (I've read that April in the Netherlands is spectacular.)

I searched for any related threads before posting this. Sorry if I've overlooked a thread by posting here.

-Hancock

Offline JHamelman

Re: Suggested Routes or Tours in the Netherlands?
« Reply #1 on: May 10, 2012, 10:12:54 am »
Hi Hancock:

Welcome to our forums!

While I don't have personal experience of touring the Netherlands (yet!) I would trust Friedel and Andrew of Travelling Two to guide my way. Check out this post from their blog:

http://travellingtwo.com/5425

Best,
.Jennifer.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Jennifer Hamelman

Adventure Cycling Association
Inspiring and empowering people to travel by bicycle.
800/755-2453, 406/721-1776 x205
www.adventurecycling.org

Follow Routes & Mapping on Twitter: @acaroutes

Offline Belgium

Re: Suggested Routes or Tours in the Netherlands?
« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2012, 05:24:24 pm »
I've read that April in the Netherlands is spectacular.
-Hancock

Well, actually this april and may were absolutely terrible for bicycle tourism.  Coldish and buckets of rain.  But maybe 2013 will be different!

Offline Hancock

Re: Suggested Routes or Tours in the Netherlands?
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2012, 02:54:59 pm »
Thank you, Jennifer, for the suggested blog. Very helpful!

Thank you, Belgium, for the alert that rain and cool temps can happen there in April and May.

-Hancock

Offline dombrosk

Re: Suggested Routes or Tours in the Netherlands?
« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2012, 02:55:45 pm »
Sorry to be so slow replying to this message, because there is so little traffic in the International forum, I wanted to add a few thoughts for other folks coming here.

Definitely tour in the Netherlands.  I think it's an experience every bike tourist should experience, imagine a land where bikes take precedence over cars, where you can go (almost) anywhere more easily by bike than by car.  My big "I'm not in Kansas anymore" moment was realizing that the bike route system begins at the terminal in Schiphol... as you can see in this photo:


I've done two tours so far

Schiphol - Haarlem, then north to Hoorn and Enkhuizen, before coming back south across the long causeway to Lelystad, then down to Otterlo and the Hoge Veluwe National Park (REALLY nice), then down along the River Maas to Roermond before turning into Germany heading for the Mosel.

2nd Trip was Schiphol - Utrecht, then down the Rhine into Germany (to Cologne, back up through near Munster to the Netherlands), then Amersfoort - Deventer - Drents-Freise Wold National Park, then north to the island of Schiermonnikoog (spectacular) - then south to Zwolle.

Schiphol is a very bike-friendly airport.  If you fly back from there they sell cardboard bike boxes for a reasonable price, very similar to the Amtrak box if you're familiar with it.

For navigation in the Netherlands you need to learn the 'Knopppunkt' system.  While there are long-distance routes (LF numbered) you have a lot more flexibility going point to point.  At every intersection you will find signage to the other points onward from there. 

Like this


My daily riding plan tended to be a cyptic list of numbers tucked into my handlebar bag.



For an on-line routing tool here's a great site:
http://www.fietsersbond.nl/fietsersbond-routeplanner

(hint, if you use Google Chrome it doesn some auto translation for you)

For map purchase in the US I've had good experiences with these folks
http://www.omnimap.com/

Happy planning and riding!

Offline Galloper

Re: Suggested Routes or Tours in the Netherlands?
« Reply #5 on: October 01, 2012, 06:01:19 am »
The North Sea Coastal route is very pleasant with lots of tempting side excursions. Just watch out for the infamous Dutch hills (aka strong headwinds common on the coast!).

Offline fietsjunks

Re: Suggested Routes or Tours in the Netherlands?
« Reply #6 on: February 23, 2013, 04:59:29 am »
Sorry to see this post after 120 days, but I guess you are still preparing.

We are from The Netherlands and cycling here is really easy. Cycle paths everywhere and people are friendly enough to help you out.

The 'knooppunten' system is the one we use a lot when cycling in weekends or so. It's kind of fun to organize your own route and you can change your mind at any 'Knooppunt'.

You should not miss the province of Drenthe, one of the most beautiful parts of The Netherlands I believe.

It's almost everywhere flat, no mountains at all! Oke, sometimes the wind can be challenging, but there are numerous villages on your route with cafes and restaurants. In the province of Limburg you find some hills, it's a nice part as well.
Don't miss out on cycling through Amsterdam, bicycles everywhere!

If you are camping and you use a GPS, download the camping poi's here: http://archiescampings.eu/by-countries/

Have fun!