Category: Holland

As it gets more rural, with greater distances between places, the desire for coffee shops and ice-cream intensives, only to be sated in the main city, Gronigen. Never far from water, lush green fields abound.

Now if you’d asked me, I wouldn’t have thought of Holland and thatched roofs. Perhaps logical, given the relationship with the Fens and Broads. Here huge roofs sweep down and thatch covers tiles or corregated sheets. Often it only covers three quarters, presumably the bits that need insulated.

Bikes seem to assume right of way over everything, including each other. There must be a secret code or signal to agree who goes first.

Here is our route

Soon we’re crossing into Freisland, which must translate as flat. Most of today is below sea level, an excellent tailwind, with a third of our day along an 8mile causeway. This turns out to be a birdlife haven. The parcel of oystercatchers make a fine sight as they align in perfect formation to minimise the wind. No doubt this will has been adopted in the windmills that keep the water pumping.

Although very flat, the landscape is never boring. Punctuated every now and then by pretty, and well manicured, villages make the most of their canal features. They feel lived in Vs tourist.

Leeuwarden has just completed its turn as European City of Culture. That had passed us by until now. Arriva buses appear, hopefully more punctual than the service we get.

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This is our route