Sûdwest Fryslân

We've now begun the second part of our adventure, which is to cycle as far as we can, with the occasional train, through Northern and Eastern Europe.

Our first day began with our departure from our London flat, cycling to Liverpool Street station. We had a great start, though James almost got hit head-on by a motorbike on Deptford High Street. The motorcycle pulled out into the wrong side of the road, screeching to a halt and almost doing a forward wheelie to avoid hitting James. We arrived at Liverpool Street intact and got snacks while we waited for our train. After a picturesque but chilly connection at Manningtree, we arrived at the port of Harwich International and then got very lost trying to figure out where to check in as bikes and get on board. It was an 8-hour overnight ferry, and we got a windowless cabin, which was extremely comfortable and hard to comprehend after all the shared cramped cabins and bunks we traveled in South East Asia. After a quick wander around the boat and marveling at the facilities, we headed to bed. We were awoken to the tunes of "Don't Worry, Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin and the announcement that breakfast was now being served at the restaurant.

We disembarked around 8:30 am and cycled for 20 minutes before realizing we were going in the opposite direction. Once we were on the right path, we quickly saw the signs for the EuroVelo route 12, which we’d follow along the coast and that reaches all the way to northernmost Norway.

We hugged the beaches on excellent, perfectly maintained cycle paths, which took us through beautiful wildflower sand dunes and the occasional coastal town. Each day, we typically stopped once at a café for tea, coffee, and to rest our butts before carrying on until we found a large supermarket to get dinner supplies. We arrived at our first campsite exhausted and hungry. Our pitch had no shade, and it was one of the two hottest days in the Netherlands. That first afternoon, we had not found the rhythm of camping, arguing over how to put up the tent and who should wash the day's clothes, etc., but by the second day camping, we were in the groove, quickly doing all our chores so we could maximize rest and sleep.

The second day was the hardest as it was 31°C, and there was little to no shade on our path. But constant sunscreen application and lots of water got us through it, and we were rewarded with a lovely shady campsite.

By the third day, we could already see our tan lines establishing razor-sharp lines, and after a few hours of cycling, we encountered our first rain. Our waterproof layers held up well, and after a quick bit of shelter, we cycled through. It was our longest day of cycling yet, and 45 minutes out from our campsite, our butts were sore, and our arms ached. Our campsite was idyllic, with a wild feel, excellent sustainability facilities, all with a high standard of luxury, and super friendly owners to boot.

By now, our bodies hurt pretty quickly after starting to ride, but the Afsluitdijk causeway, which stretched over 32 km, was closed to cyclists, so we had to get a free bus ride across, which was a welcome relief. The terrain after that was very samey, with lots of farm fields and sheep grazing the coastal dikes. We chanced upon a close campsite to our route and welcomed the tiny, quiet pitch with some hearty dinner.

Day 1 - London
Day 2 - 51 km
Day 3 - 48 km
Day 4 - 79 km
Day 5 - 56 kmRead more