Amersfoort can be reached by train from Amsterdam Airport. Free parking at the hotel.

 

Day 2: Amersfoort –Harderwijk

Spakenburg is a former fishing village with four harbours including the Old Harbour which is reserved for botters: Zuiderzee fishing boats which have now been restored and are used for pleasure. From here, proceed through Arkemheen / Eemland which is on the government’s list of twenty most beautiful landscapes that must be conserved for posterity. It’s an area with a long history, born out of the struggle against the water. Look out for peewits and black-tailed godwits. We hope you enjoy the far-reaching views of grass, cows, water and clouds. They are what we love about Holland! Along the shores of the Randmeren Lakes, you will reach the former harbour town of Harderwijk, once a member of the Hansa League, a Northern European alliance of trading guilds in the 13th-17th Centuries.

 

You will cycle north of Veluwe Forest, with the Randmeren Lakes on your left, to the lovely Hansa town of Kampen. It has one of the best preserved town centres in the Netherlands. Check out the town Gates on the River IJssel side of town. Continue atop the old Kamperzeedijken (Kampen sea dikes) to the water sports town of Zwartsluis where you will spend the night.

 

The fenland in the two connecting nature reserves De Wieden and De Weerribben consists of water, reedy borders, reed land, swamp wood and quaking bog. In summer, pleasure craft call in at the bustling town of Lemmer. The Wouda steam driven pumping station near Lemmer is the largest of its kind in the world. It has been operational since 1920 and is a World Heritage Site. Through undulating and woody Gaasterland you will cycle to Oudemirdum.

 

You have now entered Friesland province. The people of Friesland have their own language (a proper language, not a dialect) closely related to English. When they say "butter, bread and green cheese”, it sounds like English and not like the Dutch "boter, brood en groene kaas”. Rode Klif is the site of a monument where every year nationalistic Frisians commemorate a 1345 battle in which Frisian farmers and fishermen beat invading knights in armour from Holland in the marshes. You’ll see the words leaver dea as slaef cut into a big rock (I’d rather be dead than a slave). At the pretty Hansa town of Stavoren you’ll catch the ferry to Enkhuizen. It’s a trip of 1 ½ hours, crossing Lake IJsselmeer. The lake was created in 1932 when a closure dike cut off the Zuiderzee from the North Sea. This was necessary to stop the sea from flooding towns on the Zuiderzee. Once the dike was in place, the sea had become a lake. By 1940 the saltwater had been replaced by fresh water from the River IJssel. Except for the eel, none of the Zuiderzee fish survived. A new fresh water fish population replaced them. On the other side of the lake, you will find yourself in North Holland province, in a region confusingly called West-Friesland. Enkhuizen is a lovely town and home to the excellent Zuiderzee Museum where you will be able to visit a recreated Zuiderzee village of old. Moreover the museum tells the story of the days when ships from the Zuiderzee sailed the seven seas trading in bulbs and spices; the days when Holland dominated world trade and the Dutch East India Company was the first ever multinational. The merchants made a fortune and had beautiful houses built back home. Many of them still stand (as you will see on this tour!). This period is known as the Golden Age and roughly spans the 17th Century. The town of Hoorn also knew its heyday in this period and is well worth looking around.

 

Today you will cycle down the shore of Lake Markermeer past villages such as Edam, Volendam and Monnickendam. The quaint 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 through the lovely Waterland area to our capital city. 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.

 

Get set for the longest and last stretch of the tour. The town of Muiden at the mouth of the River Vecht is best known for its small moated stone castle built around 1280. It’s open to the public. The interior has been restored to look like it did in the 17th century. The town of Naarden is a prime example of a star shaped fortification. It’s very well preserved, complete with walls and a moat. In Nature Reserve Het Gooi you will delight in the lovely woodland and heath. Cross the River Eem by ferry. Have a break at fishing villages Bunschoten and Spakenburg before heading back to Amersfoort.