This is it~ our 2012 tour plans begin...
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Bike and Boat Holland — Tulips to Belgium!
2012-April 28-May 5
Meander through the colors of Springtime from Amsterdam to the celebrated town of Ghent, Belgium.
Our unique adventure will visit famous towns of South Holland, castles, Kuekenhof Garden & tulip fields, and a working farm and windmill. Depending on weather, we choose to continue into the bucolic region of Zeeland or through Holland's Brabant and on into Flanders to explore Holland's Flemish neighbors, Belge chocolate and beer- not to mention the quaint villages boasting lovely city centers from the 13th century.
Trip Itinerary
Haarlem and the Holland Dunes (25-30 miles)
Our trip starts Saturday right before noon when we board our barge/hotel, settle into our cabins, and get our bikes fitted and ready to go. Soon thereafter we head off sailing out of Amsterdam by way of the North Sea Canal.
Beautiful Brederode Castle near Haarlem
We exit our ship at the village of Spaarndam and pedal toward the beautiful Holland Dunes. Just a few miles into our journey we stop for a visit to the Molen De Zaandhaas where we'll see a true working windmill in action.
A little more pedaling and we reach the 14th century ruins of the fascinating 1282
Brederode castle. We'll take time to learn the interesting history and walk through the relics of this well-preserved artifact.
Time permitting, we'll pedal to the North Sea in the lovely Kennermerland National Park through rolling dunes, small forests, past Highland cows and Shetland ponies. Otherwise, we head for the lovely town and woods of nearby Bloemendaal.
We arrive in Haarlem- known for one of the most beautiful Market Squares and famous Hofjes (courtyards) in Holland. After a special Welcome Dinner, we'll spend the evening sightseeing Haarlem's historical treasures.
Visit to the Tulips and evening in Leiden (30ish miles)
We depart our boat quickly after breakfast as today is a full day of sightseeing and cycling for us. Our destination in the morning is the famous Keukenhof - the world's largest flower garden.
We start by meandering the lovely forested bike paths of Bennebroek town then only a turn later we are struck by fields of color and fragrance until we reach the town of Lisse.
Tulip Fields
We plan on several hours to browse the Keukenhof's magnificent acreage and enjoy a picnic lunch on the grounds.
Passing the old town of Sassenheim and Warmond and fields bursting forth in colors of reds, yellows, pinks and purples - we reach the city of Leiden.
Leiden is an unusually beautiful city, famous for being not only the birthplace of Rembrandt but Clusius brought the first Dutch tulips into flower.
Then there are 12 museums, whose priceless and unique collections have gained international fame.
Of significant importance is that Leiden is the home of the first university in Holland (1575), which has developed into a world-famous centre of science.
I can't believe how many things we were able to see in one short week! The Keukenhof was breathtaking ! We definitely will be back for another trip!!
~ Bill and Mary Scott, Illinois
Delft (30 miles)
We leave Leiden heading south for a visit to the Cheesefarm De Vierhuizen - a small organic milk farm run by the Leuwen family. Here we'll meet the owners who tell us about their history and show us how they make their famous Gouda Cheese from grass fed cows.
Beautiful Oostport in Delft
We continue south through green nature areas and horse farms and following narrow canals until we reach the city of Delft.
Dating back to 1075, Delft is known as the birthplace of Golden Age artist Johannes Vermeer and the fine hand-crafting of Delftware porcelains.
Cyclists will visit the Royal Blue Delft Factory to see firsthand the artwork and production of fine porcelain in the world-famous Delft tradition.
After dinner, we will also enjoy a town walk of the picturesque city center with its romantic tree-lined canals and countless historic monuments.
Willemstad (30 miles)
We depart Delft heading west into Westland- where the cultivation of vegetables, house and garden plants and flowers in greenhouses makes up the largest horticulture complex in the world. For those desiring, we will cycle to the Hoek of Holland where the large boats like that to England set sail on the North Sea.
We'll cycle along the water to the town of Massluis where we cross by ferry to Rosenburg and then along a green island to another ferry and on into Brielle. Brielle is a lovely fortified town from the 1300s and we'll take time to walk the town and enjoy lunch.
Exploring the blooming polders of the Voorne area we take a turn eastward and meander a long stretching waterway called Bernisse with visits to the areas historic towns like Abbenbroek, Zuidland and Simonshaven. We'll skirt the Spui River and ferry yet again to cross into Beijerland. Here we'll enjoy panaromas of beautiful scenery and orchards of the Hoekse Waard.
Time permitting we'll even sail over to the little visited island of Tiengemeten before cycling across the large Holland Diep and on into Willemstad, a lovely fortified village and our port for the night.
Belgium-Antwerpen (30 miles)
Today we'll be exploring The Brabantse Wal (Brabant Ridge)- an area where natural beauty, heritage sites and cultural events are closely knit. The area's most striking feature is the vast diversity of its scenery.
Bergen Op Zoom beautiful Market Square
We leave Willemstad southward to Steenbergen- an area of vast polderlands- and on into Woensdrecht- a haven for hikers and cyclists alike- where rolling "Dutch"hills reach over 20 metres above sea level.
The ancient city of Bergen op Zoom lying in between is our break for lunch. Over 800 (listed) heritage buildings, which are still standing despite the city's eventful past will be worth an extensive stop and town walk!
Soon we cross the border into Belgium and follow the Schelde Bikeway into Antwerp.
Antwerp, home of the Flemish Baroque master Rubens, not only has a wealth of outstanding museums, picturesque galleries, sculpted streets and beautiful architecture, but is also laced with refreshing greenery and urban haunts.
Dendermonde (15 miles)
We leave Antwerp following the "Ruppelstreek" bicycle route visiting Hoboken and it's Castle Sorghvliedt and the 13th century ST. Bernardus Abbey of Hemiksem.
Steen Castle at entrance to Antwerp
We pass several rural villages and head for the impressive town of Puurs. Those who are able to do a few more miles will detour to Breendonk to visit the famous Duvel Brewery.
In the town of Puurs we'll join the bike path that follows the old Steam Line to Dendermonde.
Dendermonde-lying on the right bank of the Schelde and adjoining Dender Rivers is a town of historic prosperity. We'll notice this from the many magnificent buildings - a remnant of the once famous textile industry from the town's past.
Depending on the timing of our cycling today we may take a quick train ride into Brussels to spend the evening sightseeing the vibrant Grand Place historic city center.
Gent (20 miles)
We depart quaint Dendermonde heading east to Gent. We follow the meandering Schelde River today as it affords wonderful views of the countryside and stops in small towns to enjoy sightseeing and a break for lunch.
We arrive in Gent- rated one of the top destinations by National Geographic Magazine . No wonder...with its quaint cobbled streets, winding canals, and impressive monuments like the gorgeous stronghold castle of Philip of Alsace - Gent should be proud of its medieval past. Not to mention that Gent was Europe's largest cloth producer.
Good Bye to a Wonderland Trip!
Saturday morning we will have a farewell breakfast, say our goodbyes to cycling friends and disembark at 9 a.m. for home.
Trip Difficulty
The Netherlands and Northern Belgium terrain is mostly flat, but we can experience wind and rain which are weather factors that impact cycling experience and ability.
So, we recommend this trip for an athletic/active person or experienced cyclist who can complete the daily miles under some adverse weather- if it should be present- and likes to average 10-12 mph on easy/flat terrain while enjoying a leisurely trip.
We will average 25-30 miles on most days with Suzie as ride leader and Roger as route "sweep" and mechanic. We advocate a "stop and smell the roses" philosophy to cycling and our group cycles together as a shared experience. Of course, you can always take a break from cycling and enjoy sailing from the sundeck of our barge — quite a delightful experience!
We do not use the assistance of a support vehicle on our Bike and Barge tours.
Transportation
Our arrival town is Amsterdam which is serviced by Schiphol Airport, located just a few miles from the city center. There is both excellent/easy public transportation and reasonably priced shuttle service available from the airport to the Oosterdock where our ship is docked.
Post-trip transportation- there is excellent train service from Gent to either Brussels-Zaventem Airport or back to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. We will have more detailed information about transportation in the Welcome Letter confirmation we send you upon registration.
As with all European trips, we advise our cyclists to arrive a few days before the trip start to acclimate to the time change, get acquainted with the new culture and sightsee beautiful Amsterdam.
Additional Information
The Feniks provides a comfy base from which to explore.
We will partake of the wonderful hospitality of the boat — Feniks.
Our hosts, Captains Winfred and Els are an endearing team who strive to make our stay on their boat a memorable experience.
Our cyclists learn quickly that Els is also a great chef and look forward each night to her culinary creations.
The Feniks is a cheery boat with cozy bedrooms featuring a few rooms with 2-lower beds (assigned on a first-come, first served basis) and other rooms with upper and lower berths- all with private bathroom.
Winfred, Els and Patricia — good friends and crew of the Feniks.
It also features a relaxing dining-common area and large sundeck where we enjoy afternoon snacks and dinner several evenings.
Information about this, what to pack, pre-trip lodging in Amsterdam, traveling abroad, tips on airfare, and other important pre-trip details will be provided in our detailed WELCOME LETTER sent to you when we receive your registration for the trip.
