HELLEVOETSLUIS - HOEK OF HOLLAND 25 miles
We had a lovely family lunch on the last day. Seven of us including the 3 boys of course chatted, talked, laughed and eat. Luke, Floris and Benoit were the stars of the show. They are super boys and it was sad to say goodbye. As we cycled off we could hear them shouting bye-bye as their voices travelled over the water. Great!
We didn't have to go that far. Used the RET fast ferry from the Maasvlakte to the Hoek. Had to have a few herrings as I couldn't go back of course without having this delicious Dutch treat. We embarked, sailed away and woke up in Harwich the next morning. Train to Reedham and we were home at 10.45.
How do we feel after all these miles and there were 750 of them.. A little bit flat but also happy to be back home again. And by writing this blog we can always go back to the happy days on the bike alongside the Rhine.
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Thursday 9 June 2016
Tuesday 7 June 2016
RIDDERKERK - HELLEVOETSLUIS 30 miles
RIDDERKERK - HELLEVOETSLUIS 30 miles
We had a wonderful day. The trip is nearly over and to finish on a high is a bonus. After we left a very good bandb we were soon on the track and had a marvellous time on wonderful cycling paths keeping the river on our left. The bike was singing and the sun was shining. At Poortugaal we had to cross the Oude Maas by ferry - quite a way. We called it our cruise. The ferry stopped first at Oud Beijerland and of course we knew this place. My sister and her family lived here for years. The ferry then took us to Beerenplaat where we disembarked. From there we cycled all the way to Hellevoetsluis on these wonderful ashfelt tracks. Plenty of bird life along the way and hardly a soul to be seen.
Hellevoetsluis has quite a history. The big sea heroes like Tromp, de Ruyter, but it was Piet Hein who captured the Silverfleet' for the Netherlands from the Spaniards.
From 1602 Hellevoetsluis was the most important marine harbour and wharf. The historic 'Vesting' is one of the best preserved defence works in the Netherlands. It is also a nice town, especially the old part of the Vesting.
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We had a wonderful day. The trip is nearly over and to finish on a high is a bonus. After we left a very good bandb we were soon on the track and had a marvellous time on wonderful cycling paths keeping the river on our left. The bike was singing and the sun was shining. At Poortugaal we had to cross the Oude Maas by ferry - quite a way. We called it our cruise. The ferry stopped first at Oud Beijerland and of course we knew this place. My sister and her family lived here for years. The ferry then took us to Beerenplaat where we disembarked. From there we cycled all the way to Hellevoetsluis on these wonderful ashfelt tracks. Plenty of bird life along the way and hardly a soul to be seen.
Hellevoetsluis has quite a history. The big sea heroes like Tromp, de Ruyter, but it was Piet Hein who captured the Silverfleet' for the Netherlands from the Spaniards.
From 1602 Hellevoetsluis was the most important marine harbour and wharf. The historic 'Vesting' is one of the best preserved defence works in the Netherlands. It is also a nice town, especially the old part of the Vesting.
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WIJK BIJ DUURSTEDE - RIDDERKERK 48.75 miles
WIJK BIJ DUURSTEDE - RIDDERKERK 48.75 miles
This report is for the 6th June but was to tired to write, because the mileage is actually higher because I made a big mistake in navigation. In fact of turning left at one point we turned right. I won't go into details, but I just didn't notice as we were enjoying the cycling so much; it was beautiful and I thought we were on the Rhine Route. Enough of that.
There was a lot of dike cycling today and the sun was hot so we often had to stop and drink water or stopped for coffee. At one such coffee stop at a very nice roadside cafe there were 6 different nationalities having a break. Most of them also had Dutch apple tart with cream. Well, you have to look after yourself. The place we were really looking forward to see was Kinderdijk. A UNESCO Heritage Site. Everyone has seen the beautiful pictures of course with all those windmills on the dikes. Some were being used and others stood still. The place - it's just a cycle path alongside - is swarming with people taking pictures. It truly is a magnificent site and we are so glad to have seen all this.
We are also coming soon to the end of our cycling trip. One more day to Hellevoetsluis and see the family on Wednesday lunchtime and sail back Wednesday night. Home Thursday.
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This report is for the 6th June but was to tired to write, because the mileage is actually higher because I made a big mistake in navigation. In fact of turning left at one point we turned right. I won't go into details, but I just didn't notice as we were enjoying the cycling so much; it was beautiful and I thought we were on the Rhine Route. Enough of that.
There was a lot of dike cycling today and the sun was hot so we often had to stop and drink water or stopped for coffee. At one such coffee stop at a very nice roadside cafe there were 6 different nationalities having a break. Most of them also had Dutch apple tart with cream. Well, you have to look after yourself. The place we were really looking forward to see was Kinderdijk. A UNESCO Heritage Site. Everyone has seen the beautiful pictures of course with all those windmills on the dikes. Some were being used and others stood still. The place - it's just a cycle path alongside - is swarming with people taking pictures. It truly is a magnificent site and we are so glad to have seen all this.
We are also coming soon to the end of our cycling trip. One more day to Hellevoetsluis and see the family on Wednesday lunchtime and sail back Wednesday night. Home Thursday.
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Monday 6 June 2016
Sunday 5 June 2016
MILLINGEN a/d RIJN - Arnhem - WIJK BIJ DUURSTEDE 41
MILLINGEN a/d RIJN - Arnhem - WIJK BIJ DUURSTEDE 41.50 miles
Left a fantastic BandB (Friends on the Bike Organisation) and headed straight for the passenger ferry to take us over the Rijn to Pannerden and crossing the Rijn again at Loo. We soon reached Arnhem - a place we have visited many a time but it seems even busier now and the signs weren't all that clear, but we managed. We passed the Airborne Museum which recalls the events of September 1944 when Arnhem was the scene of the largest airborne assault of the Second World War. And of course we all remember the book and the film 'A Bridge too Far'. We also passed The Grebbeberg. Heavy fighting took place at the beginning of the war and many Dutch soldiers lost their lives and are buried there.
It was extremely warm cycling and for the first time ever I took my helmet off. When you look around nobody wears one, except the racers. What relief that was! It has been quite hard going today as it is hilly in this area and that with the heat we were pleased to reach our destination. We are staying at a farm on the Rijn Dike. Tomorrow will be a rest day, we need that. Also my brother is coming down to meet us and we shall go out for lunch and perhaps visit an exhibition if one is going around here.
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Left a fantastic BandB (Friends on the Bike Organisation) and headed straight for the passenger ferry to take us over the Rijn to Pannerden and crossing the Rijn again at Loo. We soon reached Arnhem - a place we have visited many a time but it seems even busier now and the signs weren't all that clear, but we managed. We passed the Airborne Museum which recalls the events of September 1944 when Arnhem was the scene of the largest airborne assault of the Second World War. And of course we all remember the book and the film 'A Bridge too Far'. We also passed The Grebbeberg. Heavy fighting took place at the beginning of the war and many Dutch soldiers lost their lives and are buried there.
It was extremely warm cycling and for the first time ever I took my helmet off. When you look around nobody wears one, except the racers. What relief that was! It has been quite hard going today as it is hilly in this area and that with the heat we were pleased to reach our destination. We are staying at a farm on the Rijn Dike. Tomorrow will be a rest day, we need that. Also my brother is coming down to meet us and we shall go out for lunch and perhaps visit an exhibition if one is going around here.
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Friday 3 June 2016
ORSOY - Xanten - MILLINGEN a/d RIJN 55 miles
ORSOY - Xanten - MILLINGEN a/d RIJN 55 miles
High mileage again today, but wanted to get into the Netherlands today and so we did at 4.50. It was goodbye to Germany; we enjoyed your beautiful countryside, but now it's time to go onto the last stage, albeit much shorter.
We enjoyed Orsoy last night. Lovely place. It was once a heavily fortified town with walls built in three stages between 1273 and 1640, of which some ruins and one tower ( the Pulverturm) remain. Their principal industry was cigar production for 90 years from 1851. This ceased during WW II, when the raw materials became unobtainable.
In Rheinberg there is the old Fossa Eugenia canal. 50 km long, 4.3 wide and connects the Rhine and Meuse. The canal was built by the Spanish to provide an alternative route from Germany to the North Sea bypassing the Netherlands. The canal today is derelict but towpaths have been opened up for walkers and cyclists.
All the time when cycling very near the Rhine it always is through a nature reserve. And especially at the moment with the Rhine flooding the flood plains the bird life is enjoying this. We hear the call of many birds. Woodpeckers are very busy and I am sure to have heard spoonbills, but didn't see them. Saw an owl sitting on a post, wanted to take a picture but time wasn't on my side.
We stopped for lunch in Xanten ( the only place in Germany starting with an X) and managed to take a picture of St Victor's Cathedral.
At Bislicher -Insel is a large area of low-lying land in the bend of the Old Rhine and caught a Stork feeding its young high up on a Stork Pole. Very pleased with that picture. We also past a visitors centre where there was an exhibition going of country photographs and they were stunningly beautiful. See what tomorrow will bring...
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High mileage again today, but wanted to get into the Netherlands today and so we did at 4.50. It was goodbye to Germany; we enjoyed your beautiful countryside, but now it's time to go onto the last stage, albeit much shorter.
We enjoyed Orsoy last night. Lovely place. It was once a heavily fortified town with walls built in three stages between 1273 and 1640, of which some ruins and one tower ( the Pulverturm) remain. Their principal industry was cigar production for 90 years from 1851. This ceased during WW II, when the raw materials became unobtainable.
In Rheinberg there is the old Fossa Eugenia canal. 50 km long, 4.3 wide and connects the Rhine and Meuse. The canal was built by the Spanish to provide an alternative route from Germany to the North Sea bypassing the Netherlands. The canal today is derelict but towpaths have been opened up for walkers and cyclists.
All the time when cycling very near the Rhine it always is through a nature reserve. And especially at the moment with the Rhine flooding the flood plains the bird life is enjoying this. We hear the call of many birds. Woodpeckers are very busy and I am sure to have heard spoonbills, but didn't see them. Saw an owl sitting on a post, wanted to take a picture but time wasn't on my side.
We stopped for lunch in Xanten ( the only place in Germany starting with an X) and managed to take a picture of St Victor's Cathedral.
At Bislicher -Insel is a large area of low-lying land in the bend of the Old Rhine and caught a Stork feeding its young high up on a Stork Pole. Very pleased with that picture. We also past a visitors centre where there was an exhibition going of country photographs and they were stunningly beautiful. See what tomorrow will bring...
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Thursday 2 June 2016
WORRINGEN - Dusseldorf - ORSOY 55 miles
WORRINGEN - Dusseldorf - ORSOY 55 miles
We made an early start. 8 o'clock we were off again, dry and we had good sunny weather all day until the last 5 minutes when the heavens opened. It was easy going through Dusseldorf and we passed some fantastic buildings. The idea was to cross the Rhine at Zons but we just couldn't reach the ferry, unless we wanted to wade through towards it, so we took an alternative route and crossed the Rhine further on. This flooding is quite serious. At places you can't even see where the cycle route is supposed to be. After Dusseldorf we had to go through Duisburg. We didn't enjoy that as this is a vast area. It's position at the confluence of the Rhine and the Ruhr has made it an important trading city. It is one of the worlds largest inlands ports. We had to go over some high bridges sharing it with very heavy traffic. The organisers of EuroVelo have tried hard to give the cyclists a safe thorough fare; and it is, but it was hard going if you missed a sign or if a sign was not pointing the right way. But we made it and arrived in Osroy. Lovely accommodation.
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We made an early start. 8 o'clock we were off again, dry and we had good sunny weather all day until the last 5 minutes when the heavens opened. It was easy going through Dusseldorf and we passed some fantastic buildings. The idea was to cross the Rhine at Zons but we just couldn't reach the ferry, unless we wanted to wade through towards it, so we took an alternative route and crossed the Rhine further on. This flooding is quite serious. At places you can't even see where the cycle route is supposed to be. After Dusseldorf we had to go through Duisburg. We didn't enjoy that as this is a vast area. It's position at the confluence of the Rhine and the Ruhr has made it an important trading city. It is one of the worlds largest inlands ports. We had to go over some high bridges sharing it with very heavy traffic. The organisers of EuroVelo have tried hard to give the cyclists a safe thorough fare; and it is, but it was hard going if you missed a sign or if a sign was not pointing the right way. But we made it and arrived in Osroy. Lovely accommodation.
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Wednesday 1 June 2016
RODENKIRCHEN - Cologne - WORRINGEN 21.50 miles
RODENKIRCHEN - Cologne - WORRINGEN 21.50 miles
Atrocious weather and didn't leave until 10 when the rain had calmed down a little. Contemplated staying another night but didn't like the accommodation all that much. Besides, we really wanted to go to Cologne and visit the Cathedral and we did. Cycled in the rain for it!
We were not disappointed. What an enormous Cathedral or Dom as it is called. It was once the tallest building for a few years and it is indeed difficult to take a picture. You just can't get the the whole front in so I took one of the beautiful doors. Once inside it takes your breath away. The Windows, their colours fill you with emotion. See pics. It houses religious relics, in particular the Ark of the Magi, allegedly containing the bones and clothing of the Three Wise Men. (See pic).
Cologne, the largest city on the Rhine, was founded in 38 BC. and the place is buzzing with people. Like London and Westminster Abbey. And so are their prizes; very expensive shops, hotels and so on.
The flooding of the Rhine has got worse and in places you can't even see where the cycle paths are supposed to be, but there are upper paths, so we were OK.
Want to put in some good mileage tomorrow and hope to go well beyond Dusseldorf. We will try.
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Atrocious weather and didn't leave until 10 when the rain had calmed down a little. Contemplated staying another night but didn't like the accommodation all that much. Besides, we really wanted to go to Cologne and visit the Cathedral and we did. Cycled in the rain for it!
We were not disappointed. What an enormous Cathedral or Dom as it is called. It was once the tallest building for a few years and it is indeed difficult to take a picture. You just can't get the the whole front in so I took one of the beautiful doors. Once inside it takes your breath away. The Windows, their colours fill you with emotion. See pics. It houses religious relics, in particular the Ark of the Magi, allegedly containing the bones and clothing of the Three Wise Men. (See pic).
Cologne, the largest city on the Rhine, was founded in 38 BC. and the place is buzzing with people. Like London and Westminster Abbey. And so are their prizes; very expensive shops, hotels and so on.
The flooding of the Rhine has got worse and in places you can't even see where the cycle paths are supposed to be, but there are upper paths, so we were OK.
Want to put in some good mileage tomorrow and hope to go well beyond Dusseldorf. We will try.
Sent from my iPad
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