Cycling UK Forum

This summer we're planning to go on a week's cycle touring in the Netherlands, starting and finishing at the ferry terminal in Ijmuiden (near Amsterdam).

We are me, my partner and our 9 year old son. This will be our first longish tour as a family, though my partner and I have toured a lot, and we've done some two day tours with my son. I expect we can cover about 40km per day. It will also be our first time cycle-camping - we've used B&Bs / hotels up to now.

So my question is, where should we go? Any suggestions or tips please for a route that will give us enjoyable family cycling?

Thanks.

You have lots of options from there.

Up/down the coast is straightforward almost all off road on cycle paths. You aren't far from the windmill museum a bit north of Amsterdam or the clog factory / museum down towards the Hague where there's also a big motor museum. (handy camping too)

The one place i'd avoid would be Amsterdam - at least riding in - very busy and unforgiving.

Head north. From IJmuiden ferry sort of follow the main road into town. Town is one main street with shops. Not really much there. Follow the main street round and eventually you'll reach a busy junction with a kind of grassy park but to your right and river to left. There's a ferry there that's free to cyclists. You'll see them waiting by the river. Take that across and follow the main cycle route 1. IIRC is LF1a or b. The a or b indicates whether it's North or south route.

Take this route north to den Helder (visit the Dutch naval museum there. A good museum IMHO). Basically this is the Dunes route. Plenty of campsites and beaches. There's a good campsite on the fields side of Calentsoog. It has shops, restaurant, bar and a decent swimming pool with slide. Plus tennis, skate ramp, etc.

Nearer IJmuiden is Bakkum campsite. In summer they have a theatre among other attractions. A sandy campsite and more of a large European style campsite. Still it's nice enough and the toilets /showers are well maintained.

It's nice up the Dunes. We didn't get much further because younger child but it's nice up there.

A bit inland and then north of IJmuiden is a area of rivers and lakes and windmills. It's supposed to be nice and it can get a ferry there (with bikes) from Amsterdam.

That ferry does great food but before you get on it. Dinner and breakfast. Buffet, all you can eat if some very nice food for adults and kids. Fuel up for your tour!

Funny how fueling up makes you sleepy!

We took our 12 year old daughter 3 years ago on a cycling tour of Holland, and last year repeated the trip with my Nieces and Nephews aged between 8 and 14. Our trip started and ended in Europort so is a little further south than your trip.

We stayed in Stayokay hostels, which were clean, friendly and offered reasonably priced breakfasts and evening meals.

The highlight for the Children was the theme park / water park at Duinrell. Both trips we stayed for 3 nights in one of the Caravans. https://www.duinrell.com.

Amsterdam was busy and hectic to cycle round, but was ok with careful route choice.

We wanted to go to the windmill museum https://www.dezaanseschans.nl/en/ as this was on the way from Amsterdam to the coast but ran out of time.

We also liked the mini Holland museum at Madurodam near The Hague. https://www.madurodam.nl/en


Overall cycling in Holland is excellent. Plenty of safe routes along canal banks and through the dunes. We used the VVV maps to plan our journey.

Hope this helps.

Outskirts of Amsterdam are ok. My 10 year old was fine. We stayed in the city but on the eastern side, not in the centre on our route through. A problem that we had was monotony so I'd definitely aim for mixed areas- we did the zuider zee and it was a bit samey so another time I'd aim for more variation and more towns (more densely populated places) and forests etc (dikes can be a bit dull to look at all day!). Obviously that's just what suits us-you may have different priorities. The Netherlands is obviously fab for cycling infrastructure.

Having said that the LF routes are worth looking at.

https://www.hollandcyclingroutes.com/lo ... cle-routes

http://www.hollandcyclingroutes.com/onl ... te-planner

Martin_Edney wrote:This summer we're planning to go on a week's cycle touring in the Netherlands, starting and finishing at the ferry terminal in Ijmuiden (near Amsterdam).

We are me, my partner and our 9 year old son. This will be our first longish tour as a family, though my partner and I have toured a lot, and we've done some two day tours with my son. I expect we can cover about 40km per day. It will also be our first time cycle-camping - we've used B&Bs / hotels up to now.

So my question is, where should we go? Any suggestions or tips please for a route that will give us enjoyable family cycling?

Thanks.

It all depends, do you want quiet countryside, or do you enjoy your holiday with a million other people having a 'good' time and the infrastructure to go with it ?

Some pointers on touring in the Netherlands -> http://www.m-gineering.nl/touringg.htm