Now here’s a challenge for you: Cycle 439 km all the way around Lake IJsselmeer! On the way, take in the beautiful scenery and learn a big lesson in Dutch history. This is a route along the loveliest and quietest roads and bike tracks a cyclist could possibly hope for. The historical landscape around the former Zuiderzee, the many old fishing and trading towns on its shores all have a story to tell. This tour is marked by diverse and attractive scenery. As on all our carefree cycle tours, we provide luggage transfer and excellent accommodation.

 

Every day from April 1st – October 1st

Starting point on the route: Amersfoort (negotiable)

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

 

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 marshlandland in the two connecting nature reserves De Wieden and De Weerribben consists of water, reedy borders, reed land, carr wood and peat-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 are now in 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”.

 

Continue north along a string of interesting old towns of which Hindeloopen is a favourite. It is famous for its colourful traditional costumes and painted furniture. At the town of Workum, stop to consider for a minute that for 250 years, up until the Second World War, fishermen from this town caught eel only to sell it... in England. They even had their own mooring places on the Thames. Today the town is better known for its pottery. Continue through another large nature reserve on the coast of Lake IJsselmeer before you reach Makkum, where you’ll spend the night.

 

Today is the day you cross the Afsluitdijk! The starting point is just past Makkum. The closure dike is 34 km long and was completed in 1932. It 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 dike, you will find yourself in North Holland province, in a region confusingly called West-Friesland. Cycle through Wieringermeer polder (created 1927 -1934) and down the coast to pretty Medemblik.

 

Friendly villages, peace and quiet and lots of space typify West–Friesland. Look out for the typical cheese cover style farmhouses. You’ll also see windmills and large crop fields, especially cabbage and onion. Making your way down the coast, you’ll spend a long time in Enkhuizen which is home to the excellent Zuiderzee museum. Everyone will enjoy visiting the 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 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 is also well worth a visit.

 

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.