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Netherlands Cycling advice

(14 posts)

Started 8 years ago by Edinburgh Cycle Training
Latest reply from Frenchy

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Edinburgh Cycle Training
Member

Apologies for a new thread but I can't find my original question!

Many thanks for the advice a few months back on cycling in the Netherlands, in particular, the advice to go via the dunes heading south from Ijmuiden.

We had planned a direct-ish route from the ferry to Gouda, but the route via the dunes was just beautiful. I'm sure the hot sunny weather helped the seaside route.

Apart from a bit of confusion leaving the port to get into/around haarlem, navigating was a doddle.

The weather, the infrastructure and the people we met all contributed to the six of us enjoying that first day's 100k through dunes, flower fields and along the banks of the Old Rhine so much, that we have already booked hotels for the start of the Giro in Holland next year.

Posted 8 years ago #
chdot
Admin

Previously -

http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14193

Posted 8 years ago #
LaidBack
Member

Been two previous threads on this. We're just back a week now. We took three locks and a cable - although only had a few places where the tandem was left outside. Fletcher Hotel in one location had a huge Fiets 'stable' and loads of electric bikes to hire.
Noted how quiet bike lanes were outside the towns as we went away from Noord Holland. We ended up using direct red routes when we were doing longer routes.
The knooppunten system is what Henk and Monique at Nazca bikes use. So just cycling by numbers but as noted previously it's good to have a map. We had general paper one and also had Google Maps working offline which was very useful on occasion. After a week of cycling you get to know/ guess how it goes. Dutch cyclists crave the more indirect routes as these can take you over little hand operated ferries and over very abrupt canal bridges! May be reaction to regimented infra I reckon as from our point of view we were cycling just as car or train substitute with luggage so anything too technical was a ~~pain~~ challenge. We did around 300 miles and got to Enkhuizen and Hoorn and on to Drenthe and Overijssel province via Flevoland. Did a wee bit up to Bergen an Zee at start and visited people in Amsterdam. Because you have to pedal all the time it really isn't quite as easy as you might think btw!

Train down and ferry from Newcastle with tandem folded on train as Virgin weren't happy about 'long bikes'.

Posted 6 years ago #
Arellcat
Moderator

Meanwhile in Rotterdam, a couple of days ago, it was the annual Oliebollentocht, which is the world's biggest gathering of velomobile riders. This year, around 120 riders and their machines attended, with nearly perfect weather. An oliebol is a Dutch doughnut, like a deep-fried dumpling with dried fruit in it, and is a New Year's Eve tradition.

Josef Janning made this 20 minute video using a Garmin Virb 360 camera.

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Posted 6 years ago #
sallyhinch
Member

@laidback - how do you get Google Maps working off line? I can never seem to make that happen

Posted 6 years ago #
LaidBack
Member

@sallyhinch
There is an option. Will see if I can find it. Not sure how recently it was added. I'm on an entry level Samsung Galaxy from 6 months ago.
EDIT:
On top left hand of Google Maps you have the three bars. Click on this and there is an option for offline maps.
It seems that if you browse on wi-fi the phone will retain the Google Map areas looked at. Once on the road you can see your location dot triangulated by mobile masts. Not gps but good enough for road and path use. Saves a roaming data usage charge when abroad. Still uses battery though.

Posted 6 years ago #
sallyhinch
Member

Ah that's dead handy, thanks. Don't necessarily need the location but it's frustrating to lose the maps just because you're offline. Now I need the Network Rail app to do the same with train times

Posted 6 years ago #
LivM
Member

@SallyHinch - I have a map app called Here I think which lets me download map packs of different countries so you can get the whole country offline, very useful!

However now that most of Europe is covered by the agreement not to charge roaming fees I think it's redundant for most trips if you have a decent data pack from your mobile provider. Let us hope we don't lose this benefit post Bre*!t...

Posted 6 years ago #
Frenchy
Member

The OSM app (or the Android version anyway, I presume other versions work the same) also works offline in a similar way to the app LivD described.

Posted 6 years ago #
Frenchy
Member

Anyone cycled north-south in the Netherlands? In particular, any advice on whether the ferries or the bridges are the better way of getting across the Rhine distributaries?

Will be getting the ferry to IJmuiden next year, and looking at cycling to Tilburg.

Routers generally suggest routes involving the ferries (example), but I assume they don't factor in the expected waiting/crossing times. Is it worth taking a detour to use a bridge instead?

Posted 5 months ago #
Morningsider
Member

@Frenchy - the Veerdienst-Schoonhoven ferry in the route you linked to runs six times an hour between 0600 and 2000, and four time an hour from 0500 to 0600 and 2001 to 2400. Bike and passenger is euro 1.80. Doubt it is worth a detour.

Posted 5 months ago #
amir
Member

Besides the ferries are ace!

Posted 5 months ago #
amir
Member

Especially the self driven ones

Posted 5 months ago #
Frenchy
Member

Very helpful, thanks both!

Posted 5 months ago #