Our first ferry crossing

We had coffee in the Orangerie of this country Estate, called Rosendael

De Molenkolk, part of the farm we stayed for B&B

Day 12

Day 12
Steenderen - Millingen aan de Rijn 40.15 miles

We started off with a lesser wind force than yesterday. Soon we came to the river IJssel and which we had to cross by ferry. At first we thought we had to wait for 45 min. but the ferryman was kind and started at 9.30 instead of 10. We knew that today we had to go through 'De Hoge Veluwe'. Hoge means high, so you know that it's uphill cycling and no joke with 2 heavy panniers. But....we also had magic descents and all this through the National Park, forest after forest with wavy cycle paths. We were a little worried cycling through Arnhem but we kept very vigilant looking for the signs and we sailed through. Arnhem was the place were my grandparents lived and I have been there many times. As we continued the wind became stronger and it was a headwind but we were fine. Had lunch and after which we had to cross the river again by ferry. This part of the river is called Neder Rijn. We had some dike cycling to do and this was quite hard with the strong wind, we had no protection from the rain and westerly wind. At Pannerden we had another ferry crossing over de Pannerdensch kanaal. Once over we soon arrived at our B&B., which is very nice. We are now in window no. 2 of the map.


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This church is from 1344.

The B&B we stayed last night.

Day 11

Day 11
Haaksbergen - Bronckhorst 42.92miles.

We left at 8.30 this morning. Very nice B&B. Our host had lost his wife only 1 1/2 month ago. He wanted to carry on with the B&B so he could have a rapport with people. His house was quite remote and he wouldn't see that many folk. He looked after us so well. The table in the morning looked a treat. We even had fresh strawberries with our breakfast.
The day started with glorious sunshine but it changed. We had strong headwind, it poured with rain, we had hailstones and it was cold. However we didn't get wet, we had just found a place for coffee! We cycled through farming land, forests and nature reserves, where week-end volunteers were busy maintaining the verges, tracks etc. Met up with 4 cyclists and exchanged our stories. Arrived about 4 this afternoon in Bronckhorst, which is the smallest city in the Netherlands. Just 200 people and it is a gem. Very posh place too. Expensive shops and roadside cafe's. We are no longer in the Province of Overijssel but in the Province of Gelderland. (window 47).


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Klopkeshoes. On the left is the loo!. At the front the well.

Our breakfast table this morning.

Day 10

Day 10
Tubbergen - Haaksbergen 53.47 miles

The mileage is quite high. This is due to loosing our way a couple of times. Very annoying. Signs were missing. But there we are. Great day again. No rain but strong headwind at times. Lots of birdsong in the forest and in a field we saw a number of Falabella horses with their young.
We came across a 'Klopkeshoes' as the picture above shows. Many years ago this was used by the shepherd, known as "nSchoap'n Peter". I.e. The sheep and Peter. He would stay there during the night with his sheep. Later it became a place to live for unmarried women who would spend their time praying in these small dwellings. They would also go round knocking( Klopken) on people's doors to let folk know about church services. This one was restored in 1988, many have been lost.
We are really seeing the best of the Netherlands on our tandem.


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This is scenery we come across all the time. As if time stood still.

Day 9

Day 9
Holtheme - Tubbergen 45.81 miles

It may sound boring, but again today we had a wonderful cycling day. Yes, we did get a bit wet and strong wind against, it just didn't matter. We poodled along through forests, along canals, lovely villages at a not too fast a speed and we don't feel tired. The houses we see en route are very often of 'Grand Design'. No litter, folk really care how their village looks. Very impressed!. We arrived at our B&B, which is superb. Reading about their village and the people who live here, they inform their guests with the customs of this area. People here have a 'Day' name and a 'Sunday' name. This custom is used to this day. Their info goes on to say, that everybody knows these names of everyone in this village (Tubbergen) and neighbouring villages. In this area it is also the custom, that parents will usually come to live with one of their children. The farms/houses are always doubled up. We are staying in that part of the house where the parents used to live. They must have passed away. Most days we use 'Friends on de bike' Organisation. People with a spare room will let this for a minimum charge to cyclists. This helps when you cycle for about 3weeks! Thousands of people do this and we used it back in 2004 at times. You have to become a donator for about £8 and you are send a booklet with hundreds of locations all over the country. We are now cycling in the Province of Overijssel, window no. 42.


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Forest cycling

A Hunebed in the province of Drenthe

Day 8

Day 8
Rolde - Holtheme 56.07 miles

They call the Province of Drenthe 'The Cycling Province'. How true that is, the cycling paths through the villages and forests are fantastic. Smooth, clean and while you cycle you get the wonderful smells of the forest as a bonus. We did more miles than we wanted but that's how it worked out with the B&B. There are many walkers here so it can be hard to find accommodation.
We saw several Hunebeds. These are megalithic tombs where 5000 years ago the dead were buried. How they managed these heavy boulders I don't know.
We saw lots of birds in the forest and heard them of course. It has been a super day again, bit tired but we go to bed quite early.
We are almost half way and are on window no.40 at the moment.(see the map on the left).


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The Stork on his village erected Stork Pole high up in the sky.

The Mill at Oudemolen

Day 7

Day 7
Houwerzijl -Rolde 44.31 miles
Very nice B&B, probably best so far.

We were very fortunate with the N.W. wind, as it was very cold today. Occasionally the sun came out. The countryside has been stunning and this part of the Netherlands is really tops. Beautiful thatched farmhouses with a huge and tall barn attached at the back of the house. This is the way their farmhouses are. On the way to the city of Groningen, we had missed a turning and asked a local man for a bit of help, which he did. We noticed he was collecting something in a handkerchief. We didn't say anything but he saw us looking intrigued and then told us that his neighbour farmer killed all the flowers on his land with a spray. This infuriated the man and so he collected all the seeds he could find each day alongside the road, especially dandelions and would release them when his neighbour wasn't looking! Now who is the neighbour from hell?
Having left the province of Groningen we are now in the province of Drenthe. The route took us past Paterswolder meer, through Noordlaardersbos (woods) mostly with Oak and Birch trees. The village of Haren we cycled through was discovered by the well-off folk from Groningen in the 19th century and who settled there. It hasn't changed, everything about it is still awesome. In Oudemolen we took a picture of a mill and when we reached the village of Taarlo we spotted on the village green a purpose built Stork House.
It has been a cold but lovely cycling day.


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'It Fiskershuske'

A statue of a Fiskerswoman and child

Day 6

Day 6
Vrouwenparochie - Houwerzijl, 45.21 miles
Arrived at a fantastic B&B in Houwerzijl

We have had such an exciting morning. Today is the annual 'Elfsteden Tocht' for cyclists and we were caught up in the middle of it. 13.000 cyclists! A lot of Lycra and people of all ages, mostly young though, took part. The original Elfstedentocht is an almost 200 km long iceskating tour, which is held both as a speeding match with 300 skaters and a leisure tour for 16000 skaters. This takes place in the province of Friesland, leading past all the 11 historical cities of this province. The Friesian 'Elfstedentocht' for cyclists was today. Village folk were waiting for everyone going past with the youngsters doing 'high fives'. As we were caught up with the 13000, they did this to us also.
The cycling itself has been awesome today, mostly along dikes and through small villages in the afternoon. We went through a small fishing village called Moddergat, where the original 'it Fiskershuskes' can be seen. It looked lovely and has been made into a museum. It has been a great day.


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The village of Harlingen

Cornelis Lely

Cornel is Lely is a Dutch civil engineer who oversaw the huge project of the Zuiderzee. His statue stands at the beginning of the Afsluitdijk.

Day 5

Day 5
Den Oever - Vrouwenparochie 44 miles
Nice B and B

We have now left the 2 Provinces of Zuid-and Noord Holland as we cycled into the Province of Friesland. Good weather, wind sw, so in the back and we just sailed along the Afsluitdijk. Continued to Harlingen and I was very much looking forward to this as this is the place where my great-great-great-great grandfather lived -if only I knew exactly where. Took some pictures and the place is just lovely. We continued along the coast and it was just an awesome ride. Went through St.jacobiparochie, St Annaparochie and stopped in Vrouwenparochie, our village for the night. These 3 villages are so nice and friendly looking. Looking forward to tomorrow.


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Cycling into Den Oever

Wild Orchids

Day 4

Day 4
Bergen aan Zee - Den Oever 45.29 miles
Staying in Pension Waddenzee - Quite good.

Strong N.W. Wind. Hard work but still an enjoyable ride. Left at 9.30 and arrived at 5 -as we had predicted. Stopped at Oudesluis for lunch, cup of tea in De Haukes, which was once the most important fishing harbour of the area before the closing of the Zuiderzee. We made a bit of a detour as I wanted to visit 'Het Zwanenmeer' near Callantsoog. There is a colony of Spoonbills and on a previous visit in the area I could hear them, but never saw one. Unfortunately the same today. We were told by the Warden, we may have better luck in Den Oever, the place we are staying. I did take a picture there of a rare orchid. I saw a photographer laying on his stomach to capture those and I was very impressed with that......so I did the same! The area we cycled in the morning was through the Schoorlse Dunes. It isn't just dunes but also vast areas of plantation with pine trees - lots of woods for miles. These heavily planted areas are to secure the coast from erosion. The same we have seen in Denmark.
The afternoon was spent cycling through polder land where the wind really plagued us. The most famous of the polders is of course The Wieringen with Hippolytushoef in its centre as a very quaint small village. Den Oever is on the western side of the famous (infamous, but that is another story) Afsluitdijk. We will take that dike tomorrow, hope the wind dies down! We are now off for a Chinese meal.


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The EYE based on the shore of the river IJ.

Cycling Day 3

Heemstede - Bergen aan Zee,  42 miles
Stayed in Hotel Meyer: Very good

Yesterday we spent the day with my dear brother. He took us to Amsterdam. We crossed the river IJ by ferry and visited the Eye Film Institute. It is a Dutch archive and museum that preserves and presents films screened in the Netherlands. The building itself is a great architectural achievement.
Arrived back in Heemstede by train this morning and did some more family visits, after which we got on with the job at last. Lovely day of cycling through the dunes on very smooth cycle paths. Should have done some more miles, but we were hungry and found a place to eat and stay.

Day 2

Day 2
Katwijk-Heemstede 20 miles

Not many miles today as we are visiting my brother. Took the train to Laren from Heemstede and stay there 2 nights.
Great cycling through the dunes again today. Like yesterday we heard much birdsong, twitter and mother birds feeding their young. Very happy.


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Day 1

Arrived at the Hoek at 8 this morning and set of straight away for Katwijk. We made quite a big detour through Rijswijk and The Hague which was very special to me and nostalgic, seeing and going through places where I grew up. The picture is of The Kurhaus hotel. My father worked here, my great-grandfather and great great-grandfather. The fountain in front has been subjected by one of my brothers during his student years, adding coloured bubble-bath! The bubbles covered the whole square.  Lucky for him they never found out who the culprit was. Scheveningen, which is really part of The Hague, has always meant much to our family and indeed I spend many happy times there on the beach.
The cycling has been wonderful going through the dunes. We did not get wet, in spite of the bad forecast. There was a strong south westerly and we were simply too fast for the rain to catch us!
To proof we were there, our tandem is in the bottom right-hand corner.

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Hoek of Holland-Katwijk, 43.30 miles