The Netherlands - general info & route advice

[jamesgilbert]

My 2 week tour from Paris to Amsterdam is taking shape, I now know where I'm going as far as Maastricht, and how I'm getting back from Amsterdam on the train.

I've discovered the Vrienden op de Fiets cyclist B&B network (http://www.vriendenopdefiets.nl/en/for-friends/), I was wondering if anyone had any particularly good/bad experiences with this. I'll also be camping and hopefully staying with some WarmShowers hosts.

The following website has lots of useful information: http://www.m-gineering.nl/touringg.htm

Finally, any route suggestions from Maastricht to Amsterdam are welcome - any particularly good cycle routes or must-see towns? I have bought a Fietsatlas for the whole country so I can go wherever I like.

[Jonny Deezil]

For routing suggestions between Maastricht - Amsterdam:

http://en.routeplanner.fietsersbond.nl/

There are options to custom your requirements and download as .gpx file onto GPS.

Have fun.

Victor

[randomblue]

Depending on when you're visiting the tulip fields are stunning!

This website is useful for route planning.... http://www.nederlandfietsland.nl/fietsrouteplanner

And this one has lots of details of cycle friendly places to eat and sleep http://www.allefietserswelkom.nl

[jamesgilbert]

Thanks for the route planning websites, I was hoping more for ideas of what to see. I could simply follow the LF7 long distance route through Eindhoven and Utrecht, but it might be more interesting to go to Nijmegen and Arnhem before heading back west to Amsterdam.

[Will]

That second website you linked to is a bit out of date. The Netherlands now has a network of cycling nodes (called Knooppunts) that allow you to navigate without the use of a map. The system was invented in the Belgian province of Limburg and was adapted and spread across all of Flanders and the Netherlands. In my experience, the knooppunt system is easier to use than the LF system.

This site gives you some info on the network:

http://translate.google.co.uk/translate ... 6bih%3D924

Many up to date cycling maps include the knooppunt system (as does the opencyclemap website). This is quite a good set of maps for the whole of the Netherlands: http://webwinkel.nederlandfietsland.nl/ ... outes.html The maps are at a scale of 1:100,000 (which is a good scale for touring). They are printed on A3, are double sided, and come in a plastic folder (so you only have to take the ones you need with you).

Will

[jamesgilbert]

Thanks, I have bought a Fietsatlas for the whole country, which includes the knooppunt system. I am absolutely not worried about getting lost, I don't think it's going to be possible!

However I'd like people's opinions on route options - is the LF7 pleasant to ride, which towns and cities are particularly worth seeing, is the Hoge Veluwe national park worth a detour, etc.

[Peter Molog]

is the Hoge Veluwe national park worth a detour

If it's for nature alone then there are better options in my opinion. If you like Van Gogh it is a must do.

Alternative route Arnhem - Amsterdam could be this.

[MockCyclist]

I'm a travelling tourer rather than a visiting one and I enjoy the Dutch landscape very much, but the region around Eindhoven is featureless pig farming country, if you must do LF7 that way then reckon on passing thru'. Arnhem and Nijmegen are much more interesting, I'd pick a route that way again. I've been across the Veluwe which is gently undulating heathland but not much else to see, I went to visit that art deco radio station place but I spent less than 20 minutes there and moved on.

If you want to pick an easterly route I'd probably aim for LF3 to Nijmegen but I have to say I don't know it. Then Arnhem and LF2 to Utrecht which I think would be a pleasant ride.