Touring Holland/Belgium in November

[bohrsatom]

I've found myself with five days off work in the second week of November - no opportunity to take any more time or reschedule for a different month, and I was thinking of taking a short tour abroad. Flying is a faff and too time consuming for such a short trip, so the Eurostar will have to do. Potentially I'm thinking of riding from Brussels to Amsterdam, then taking a train back to Brussels before the Eurostar home to London. Total distance would be around 150 miles, but there are opportunities to make it shorter or longer depending on how it goes.

However I'm conscious that it will be very late in the season - all my touring so far has been in spring and summer so I'm used to reasonable weather and long days. Who knows what the weather will be like in mid-November, and with the short days I'll be lucky to cycle past 5pm. Just wondering whether given the time of year this would be a worthwhile trip?

Anybody have any experience to share?

[Slowroad]

I toured in the Netherlands last year the last week of October - I took lots of warm clothes but the weather was pretty good and I was too hot! You don't say where you plan to stay - I usually camp but decided it was too late for that and did a mix of hostels and Vrienden Op De Fiets. This is where you pay a fixed amount for B&B in people's homes, and it was great. You'd need to join before you left and I sorted out who I was staying with before I left too, one place did take a while to sort.

[chocjohn9]

In November, the temperature is, on average between 38-49f with an average rainfall of 3.1inches. I think of Belgium as slightly drier and slightly warmer than when I lived in London.

Between Amsterdam and Brussels it's as flat as a pancake which I find boring and dull. It will also be windy - hedges and trees are few and far between, for a reason that I've never got to the bottom of.

If you want to go 150 miles back to Brussels, I would head towards Luxembourg and make my way back. Then you will get rolling hills and nice roads through the forests, some history at - for example - Bastogne - and you will pass through Namur, a lovely historical town with a great citadel. The trains take 3h to Luxembourg. Plus, you will be able to find a good beer at every corner and bakeries are everywhere.

That's one suggestion. Naturally, there are many others.

[MartinBrice]

you could eurostar to brussels then train to ghent, or leuven, then do maastricht, eindhoven, breda, the the hook of holland and back on the overnight ferry to harwich. plan the route on ridewithgps using osmcycle maps and you'll see where the LF routes go. the vrienden op de fiets is brilliant. i went in november from dunkirk, ypres, bruges, ellevoetsluis, bunnik, zaandam and back to the hook. you absolutely must ensure you know where you;re going as it gets dark early and nav is harder in the dark.
last year the Fridays did dieppe to the hook in a week so you should be fine

[Ronl]

Train travel in Netherlands is reliable and relatively cheap, easy to get the bike on outwith commuter times. It is therefore worth looking at the weather forecast and plan your location accordingly. Aldi sell a guide with all the cycle routes for 6 Euro which is helpful. A train from Brussels Midi through liege onto Masstricht is possible and you could cycle back part way or head south to to Vall which is also is a great route, several good hills and terrain and lots of history at Valkenburg. Brussels to Amsterdam is also good but flat as explained previously. Vrienden ops de feits is a great way for cheap accommodation by cyclists who understand if you to arrive wet and tired. Occasionally finding homes takes time so allow time for this before darkness.
best wishes with it whatever you decide.

[bohrsatom]

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions folks, slight change of plans means that although I will be going to Belgium, the bike will sadly be staying at home.

Will keep all the suggestions in mind for next time!