London - Calias - Amsterdam

[rooseybear]

Hello all

It has been suggested by a good friend that in April next year we set off from London to Amsterdam to arrive in time for the Queens Day celebration, he's Dutch/ British hence the choice.

One option is Harwich to the Hook of Holland and onwards but more preferable to most involved would be to Calais and then up so 300-ish miles in all. Initial thoughts are that this would fall on the side of 'getting there' touring but i'd like to change opinion and take a more cultural route that maybe takes in some battlefields and memorials from Dunkirk through Belgium, at the very least I can pretend it's the wind in my eyes making them water! This will likely take a slightly longer route but would at least give a greater purpose to the journey instead of just heading for a party.

We were initially thinking 80miles a day which is quite a whack but hopefully for a group of young (!) healthy (!) men (!) it should be alright, happy to tack on another day if needed, I think the general consensus is we'd rather take a bit longer and avoid big busy roads.

There are obviously big charity type rides that head this way and maybe they take certain roads for a reason, any ideas? It would be good to hear about any good route choices in general, do's and dont's from experience, but specifically if anyone has thoughts in taking in the memorials and battlefields along the way, or links to tried and tested routes. Anything really that'll help us build up a 'tour profile'??

Many thanks

[rootes]

hiya,

Just done:

London > Dover > Dunkirk > Amsterdam > Hoek Van Holland > Harwich on the bikes.

Dover > Dunkirk ferry £15 per person inc bike

Hoek to Harwich £125 cabin for two inc bikes


Then train back to London as had to get back into work.

I have the GPS plots and tracks for the route - on the other side mostly off main roads (which is easy in Belgium and NL!)

Si

[rooseybear]

Hi Si

Sounds like a good loop, so was that a weeks worth of riding stopping in the places you mentioned?

Thanks

[rootes]

hiya,

London to Amsterdam in three days, bit of time in Amsterdam (overnight) cycle to Hoek then overnight ferry to Harwich - train to London into work for 8am,

Strava plots:

Day One - London to Dunkirk
http://app.strava.com/rides/20917938

Day two - Dunkirk to Renesse
http://app.strava.com/rides/20917992

Day Three - Renesse to Amsterdam
http://app.strava.com/rides/20918022

Amsterdam to Hoek van Holland
http://app.strava.com/rides/20918047


I have the tcx / gpx files if you need - drop me a PM with your email address.

[tom_cat]

Hi, I've just done the same route over 4 days


Calais to Bruges
Bruges via Gent to Vlissingen
Vlissengen to the Hague
The Hague to Amsterdam.
Back on the Eurostar.

You don't need to worry too much about busy roads in Belgium or Holland as there is such an extensive network of cycle routes, you can usually stay off roads completely. We tucked inland to get around Dunkirk as it looked pretty ugly and industrial and non-cycle friendly.

[rootes]

We tucked inland to get around Dunkirk as it looked pretty ugly and industrial and non-cycle friendly.

Actually Dunkirk had excellent cycle lanes and routes - even round the industrial bits excellent routes..

quite a surprise:

will post up some pictures

[chocjohn9]

Just a boring little point. In Belgium and Holland, if there is a cycle path IT IS AGAINST THE LAW NOT TO USE IT.

I do Oxford-Calais then Calais Brussels quite a bit. It is a similar distance both days - in the UK we have hills, no cycle path restrictions but whilst Belgium is hopelessly and boringly flat, it takes just as long because of the restriction. Best to factor this in when you are working out how far you will travel daily.

[CycleTourer101]

I did this last month in 4.5 days. After Calais I took the costal road nearly all the way rather than cut inland to Brugge and through Rotterdam. The roads are quiet and in a lot of places you can ride on long pedestrian zones running by the beach. The main obstacles I was worried about were rivers and canals but I found that there were free ferries over all of these in Belgium. In Holland they were pay ferries but cheap.

The section from Vlissigen north up the coast is really interesting as it's mainly dikes and long (5km) bridges. It's Dutch countryside as I imagined it to be. Vlissigen is also a good party place with a lot of live music bars.

Good luck!

[rootes]

some pics

the roads from Dunkirk port to the town are very quiet and you pick up this route into the centre:






but best bit was cycle tunnel under rotterdam - a tunnel just for bikes!

[CycleTourer101]

I've never seen a cycle only tunnel. It really shows Dutch commitment to cycling.

[rootes]

I've never seen a cycle only tunnel. It really shows Dutch commitment to cycling.

Built along side (part of) a dual carriage way road tunnel.. I think to be fair Peds can use it as well.