Kent & the Netherlands

Kent BCQs on a variation of the Cantii Way and onto de Achterhoek in the Netherlands for the tandem rally. Read more

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Trip start
August 13, 2025
Kent & the Netherlands Traveler
Kent Day 1 Cranbrook to Hasting
Aug 12–13, 2025 in England ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Arrived at 18.00 hrs at Star Field Camping, Cranbrook for our first night camping and to leave the caddy behind when we set off tomorrow for our mini tour of Kent. M25 was reasonable if not a bit slow, first day is always a bit anxious as you find out what you have forgotten! Made our way across East Sussex to Battle where in 1066 a verocious Battle took place between Wiiliam the Conqueror and King Harold, William won. Trying to dodge the A21 was tricky but we escaped unharmed.
Arrived at Starfield camping in good time with very good facilities for touring cyclists! 63kmRead more
You had space for chairs and a table??? [Lonneke]
8/13/25Reply
TravelerMet of zonder Caddy naar de rally. Stoeltjes en tafeltje zien er comfy uit. Leuke tour!
8/13/25ReplyTranslate
TravelerNu Kent zonder caddy en tavel en stoeltjes! Ook de rally zonder, met de fiets van Harwich naar HvH en de Achterhoek!
8/14/25ReplyTranslate
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Kent & the Netherlands Traveler
Kent Day 3 Martin Mill to Tyler Hill
August 15, 2025 in England ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Big campsites are usually no good for cycle touring, this one was no exception. After a long hot day (95km) we needed to pitch quickly and get some food in the local pub. We didn't think it through as where to pitch and thoughts near the toilets and washblock was a good idea, well the young people on site also liked to hang out there and till 2pm.
Anyway our ride today was shorter , flatter and still with wind in the back. The Kent coast was rather nice and we even fitted in a dip in the sea! Tonight's site looks much more quiet and our sort of choice! 66km + 160 = 226Read more
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Kent & the Netherlands Traveler
Kent Day 4 Tyler Hill back to Cranbrook
August 16, 2025 in England ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Quiet night at Tyler Hill
What constituents an eco-campsite? Not a licence to charge £28 a night and you take your own rubbish home! To be fair the owner did have 95% right, just a bit over-priced.
We liked:
No cars on the field.
Benches and a shelter
Charging point
Quiet and plenty of space.
Character with fairy lights and nice places to hang out.
Not so good: drafty shower made out of fence panels with no accessible cloth hooks. Not eco or rustic! Taking your own rubbish home is not practical for cyclists it ends up in the nearest landfill bin, also not eco!
Canterbury was good, especially as we were able to cycle through as it was before 10:30.
Can't say much about Ashford, one big station I think!
Nice farmers market in Wye, just in time for oadtriy and coffee time! 70km + 226 = 296Read more
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Kent & the Netherlands Traveler
Day 5 Sevenoaks Bonus ride BCQ
August 17, 2025 in England ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Day 5 Sevenoaks bonus day, Seal to Offham. Just 29km to get the BCQ in Offham. Nice old house at Great Comp Gardens with a Tearoom. The BCQ referred to an old roman pastime of Quintain, this taking place on a horse and hitting a swing board with a bag of sand as the board swings round. Fascinating. We then made our way to Colchester Travelodge for our onward journey to the Netherlands tomorrow! 30km + 296 = 326Read more
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Day 6 Harwich, HvH to Schipluiden
August 18, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
The overnight stay in the Travelodge at Colchester was uneventful, surprising how long it takes sorting out your kit fir the next part of the tour. A quick car ride to Harwich where we reassembled our outfit and off we cycled to the ferry. Ferry ports still don't really cater for cyclists even though they get a lot nowadays.
The bike ride from the ferry port to Schipluiden was a delight! Dutch cycling facilities do not go wrong, as well as wind in the back! Lovely small family campsite on a farm.15km + 326 = 341Read more
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Kent & the Netherlands Traveler
Day 7 Schipluiden to Biesbosch
August 19, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
Early start to be in Willemstad for 12.00 for a meet up with Antoine and Wilma. After a self operated ferry failed to work we had to detour for 30 minutes later we also had road work detour but we did make it on time!
Afternoon cycle to Lage Zwaluwe was very hot and Moerdijk industrial park not very interesting! Just a cyclist ferry across to the Biesbosch now, ours was nearly empty but a big queue to come back not sure if they'll all fit on. The Knotwilg natural campsite looks great! Trekkersveldje! 101 km + 342 = 443Read more
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Day 8 Biesbosch to Maasbommel
August 20, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
This certainly was one of the best sites for some time, can fault it, the view, the facilities, the price (€23.50) and the quietness. The cycle from there was also just a dream, gliding along traffic free cycle path with the sun on your shoulder and all your belongings on the back!
We got to the the ferry at Woudrichem at 9:45 and the first ferry didn't go till 10:00 so the cafe lady made us coffee and stroopwafel whilst we waited.
Kasteel Loevestijn was next. This has special memories as it was the main residence of Floris (Rutger Hauer) in the TV series of the same name from 1969 and one of my favorites films. We followed the river Waal all the way to Zaltbommel for lunch and on to Maasbommel our destination. 71 km + 443 = 514Read more
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Day 9 Maasbommel to Arnhem
August 21, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
A shorter day to day but still 70km. It was again a day of following the rivers, where before it was the Maas and the Waal now also the Rhineland-Palatinate and the Ijssel came into play. More small ferry crossings but also apple taart and coffee. Some towns are just delightful like the village of Heteren. A supermarket, picnic table, huiskamer van Heteren (library, cafe, toilet and community space) as well as the most quaint small WII museum in someone's house. The couple where so passionate and knowledgeable about the war era in their region quite astonishing! We then cycled on to Arnhem and across the 'bridge too far' now called the John Frost bridge after the British luitenant who tried to defend it. It was later blown up and rebuilt in 1950.
64 km + 514 = 578Read more
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Kent & the Netherlands Traveler
Day 10 Arnhem
August 22, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Today was a rest day to visit Arnhem, which we did but still cycled 40km. The journey included two ponts and a great ride through the Veluwe Zoom national park, really pretty! In Arnhem we visited the Eusebiuskerk. It was started in 1475 in various stages but burnt out completely in the Battle of Arnhem. It was further damaged with the bombing of the nearby bridge in October 1944 and further bombs in January 1945. It was rebuilt by 1964 and has a glass elevator and viewing platforms. 40 km + 578 = 618Read more
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Day 11 Griesbeek to Lochem
August 23, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
Today we will make our way to the rally site and take residence in our 'Tiny House' for a week. A converted trailer that had a bathroom, bed, kitchenette and sofa. Far more comfortable then our 'Tiny Tent'!
The Tandem Rally is an annual international event where tandemists gather for a week and ride for five days a choice of short, medium long routes. In the evening they gather for cultural events, quizzes or talk tandem and drink wine or beer. Anyone is welcome on a bike as long as you join the tandem club!
54 km + 618 = 672Read more
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Day 12 Tandem Rally 1 Castles
August 24, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
First day of the Tandem Rally in Bachem at the Heksenhaag. The Dutch organising team had done an excellent job in coming up with excellent rides. This one took us past a number if castles, the Hackford Estate had a particular good terrace with apple taart and cappuccino! Several more castles and a fair amount of firest path later we git back to the campsite where tea and cake was waiting!
50 km + 672 = 722Read more
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Kent & the Netherlands Traveler
Day 13 Tandem Rally 2 Art Silo
August 25, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
Our se ond tandem rally ride took us on an country art trail. At various place you could see art installations. Only one we got a picture of was Mijnheer de Uil, you have to be a bit older and dutch to remember that!
Grienlo was rather nice and the coffee and excellent. The town pump and the Gemeente Huis were too! 74 km + 722 = 796Read more
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Day 14 Locks and Rivers and sandy tracks
August 26, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C
Today's ride was rivers and canals but I would add sandy lanes to that. For some strong cyclo cross were required and it caused a lot of squealing from the back! But still the apple cake was worth the €5.00 as it resembled a fruit salad!
The tandem trade were assembled back at the campsite and nearly spend €13000 on a titanium, folding, rohloff e-tandem! The test ride was very good but common sense prevailed at least for the moment......
76 km + 796 = 872Read more
TravelerHi just joined the party xx Squealing from Sally in the back I cant believe it !
8/27/25Reply
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Kent & the Netherlands Traveler
Day off Paleis Het Loo
August 27, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
Today was a day off the bikes and a visit to the former Royal family residence Paleis Het Loo in Apeldoorn. It is quite a remarkable estate of Palace, formal gardens, stables and garages.
The state rooms display in remarkable accurateness how generations of Dutch royals live. Going back to William III and Mary and finishing with Queen Juliana. It seems that a lot of money was spend on their houses, gardens and lifestyle, something the humble citizen can only dream off! Still the coffee and cake was worth it and finding out how many illegitimate children there were and bribes were paid was fascinating!Read more
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Day 15 Going East Tandem Rally 4
August 28, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
Family shirt ride today of 65km with a cafe stop half way at Eibergen as the cafés at Neede were not open yet at 10:30. Groenlo was more interesting and we sat by the old town defence canals and bulwark. A few more sand tracks and we were back home! 72 km + 872 = 944Read more
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Day 16 Rivers and Hanse Tandem Rally 5
August 29, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C
Today was West to the most interesting Hanse town Zutphen. It was clearly a wealthy town at some point and the buildings reflect it's importantant trading position as Hanse town on the rivers IJssel and Berkel. Seems strange that they had this successful early version of the European Union in the 13th century (Hanseatic league). It now has a thriving traffic free historic town centre with a delight of small individual shops not always part of a highstreet chain! 73 km + 944 = 1017Read more
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Day 17 Veluwe, wind & wild boars
August 30, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
We're on our way back now to Hoek van Holland and out first leg took us through the Veluwe on a beautiful day. The cycle path there are superb and we had a great time. We tried to spot some of the many wild boar but they were resting in the shade no doubt. We also came past the Planken Wambuis, an ancient herberg (inn) but also reference to a coffin. We're in a natural campsite in the woods, so who knows the wild boar or even the wolfs might be hanging around! 80 km + 1017 = 1097Read more
Traveler Nice cycling conditions Did you actually see that boar?!
9/1/25Reply
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Kent & the Netherlands Traveler
Day 18 Rivers, dykes, floods and locks
August 31, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
After a disturbed night in the woods ( nearby disco not the wild boars!) We made our way to Veenendaal to meet up with some old friends, great to catch up with Annemarieke, Martin and children. We then negotiated the Utrechtse Rug before following the rivers again. It's amazing to see the huge dams and locks that control the river flow and preserve water for drinking and use on the land.

We arrived at our campsite inside an old Fort from 1877 as part of the nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie, a series of defence forts to protect from an attack from the east whilst flooding the surrounding country side! Smart cookies those Dutch! 1097 km + 58km = 1155Read more
TravelerWondered where you'd camped looked unusual Smart cookies the dutch indeed xx
9/1/25Reply
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Day 19 Tull en 't Waal to Raamsdonk
September 1, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
We had no encouters with any soldiers overnight just a tawny owl making it's presence known. Usual exit procedures to get back on the bike but we did have the use of the old ammunition store to have our breakfast. Our friends Ron and Linda had stayed here the previous night and had left their powerpack plugged in to charge, what are friends for to carry their 20k ohm powerpack back to the UK!
The town of Viane was delightful only know to me for the motorway junction and traffic jams! We also came through Gorinchem where my mother and uncle and aunt once lived, didn't recognise the place!
1155 km + 69 km = 1224Read more
Traveler Unusual !
9/4/25Reply
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Kent & the Netherlands Traveler
Day 20 Raamsdonk to The Grutto
September 2, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
We had aimed for south of the rivers to be able to meet with my sister and we had a delightful evening sitting on the campsite terrace listening to the local brass band practising. We then crossed the Biesbosch once more with a sturdy wind in the back Metering at 34kph till we crossed over on a pont to the island of Dordrecht.
Here we took the waterbus to Rotterdam avoiding much of the urban areas in between but with great views of the rivers and harbour. Fascinating to see a super yacht being built by Oceanco, the prize tag is eye-watering!
Cycle out of Rotterdam was actually OK, the 'knooppunten' system ensure a pleasant ride to our campsite.
The Grutto was a very nice nature focused place with orchards, ditches and rustling trees as well as a very well equipped amenities cottage with an indoor seating and cooking area. Nearly home!
1122 + 93 km = 1215 including waterbusRead more
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Day 21 The Grutto to Hoek van Holland
September 3, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ 🌬 21 °C
This morning's forecast was for rain and high wind from the south west. Our boat would be sailing at 14.00hrs so we packed away the tent and made for the hut. After the worst of the rain had passed we made a dash for Hoek van Holland. Quick trolly dash of Albert Hein and time for a brew up by the old train station whilst watching travellers with masses of suitcases and pets checking in.
Secured our tandem for stormy weather and found our cabin for a bumby crossing!
1215 km + 24 = 1239Read more
Traveler Gales?!
9/4/25Reply
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Trip end
September 3, 2025