Day 2: Heiloo – Den Helder
With a pleasant tailwind you will cycle through and behind the dunes and woods up the North Sea coast to Den Helder. You will pass pretty seaside resorts and Zwanenwater, a nature reserve with a mix of seawater and rainwater. All along our North Sea coast, dunes protect the hinterland from being flooded by the sea except near the town of Petten where the dunes have been washed away and a Sea Wall has been built. The interesting exhibition "De Dijk te Kijk” explains all about the past, present and future of this Sea Wall called Hondsbosse Zeewering and about the trials and tribulations of the people of Petten over the course of many centuries.
Day 3: Tour of Texel
Texel is the largest of our five Wadden Islands, places of outstanding natural beauty. You’ll have a great time touring this island by bike. There are many bike routes to choose from on Texel. Be sure to also visit De Slufter, a beautiful nature reserve and one of the few areas in The Netherlands where the sea has always been able to penetrate unhindered. Lilac sea lavender comes into bloom here in July and August.
Day 4: Den Helder – Medemblik
The area just south of Den Helder has developed into one of the largest flower bulb growing areas in the world. Most of the bulbs are for export. In spring, when tulips, hyacinths and daffodils come into bloom, the place is a sea of colour. The route continues through Wieringermeer, a polder drained and desalinated between 1927 and 1934 to create new arable land of which there was a great shortage. The ancient town of Medemblik is on splendid Lake IJsselmeer. It has a marina and a steam engine museum.
Day 5: Medemblik – Hoorn
This region, confusingly called West-Friesland, offers space and quiet as well as pretty villages, cheese cover style farmhouses, windmills, orchards, bulb flower fields and crop fields. You will cycle atop the old sea dike with continuous views of Lake IJsselmeer. The lively town of Enkhuizen is home to the excellent Zuiderzee Museum which explains all about the heyday of the harbour towns of the former Zuiderzee. In the 17th Century ships from these towns sailed the seven seas trading in spices and bulbs. Also explore the recreated Zuiderzee village of old. Your destination, Hoorn, is a beautiful old town with many buildings that also date back to the Golden Age.
Day 6: Hoorn – Amsterdam
This lovely trip takes you along the shores of Lake Hoornsche Hop and Lake Markermeer past and through pretty towns and villages such as Edam, Volendam and Monnickendam. The beautiful stone houses in the distinctive heart of catholic fishing village Volendam seem to have been drawn up without an organised street plan. "De Dijk”, overlooking the harbour, attracts many tourists who browse the souvenir shops and have a break at a pavement cafe or restaurant. From here, make your way to Amsterdam. Amsterdam will welcome you with romantic canals, bridges and... more than 800,000 bicycles! Amsterdam is for exploring. There is so much to see and do. Whether you like, art, culture, an evening out or just looking around the canal area, you’ll have a great time. A canal boat trip is a great way to get a better look at the canal houses.
Day 7: Amsterdam – Heiloo
This stretch of the tour is also very diverse. Zaanse Schans is a recreated (inhabited!) neighbourhood in the style typical of this area on the River Zaan in the 17th-18th Centuries: beautiful dark green wooden buildings and windmills. There are lots of things to see, including clog, cheese and tin making demonstrations. Treat yourself to a pancake at Pancake Restaurant De Kraai, a former grain barn. Then get back on your bike and cycle the rest of the way back to the seaside.
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Day 8: Return Home
After breakfast in your hotel, you will return home.
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Included are:
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7 nights’ accommodation in *** or ****hotels
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Breakfast (buffet)
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Evening dinner (min. 3 courses), if you book Half Board
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Luggage transport to your next hotel
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Detailed route descriptions and maps
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Tourist information on all the places of interest
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Saddlebags for carrying things you need on the road
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Seven days a week service-hotline
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The possibility of renting our bikes and trailers (at extra cost)
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We adapt the bike to suit your wishes
