Hallo r/theNetherlands! This summer I’ll be cycling through your lovely country from the UK, but I just wanted to know whether this is a feasible route to Den Haag?
Hallo r/theNetherlands! This summer I’ll be cycling through your lovely country from the UK, but I just wanted to know whether this is a feasible route to Den Haag?
26 comments
So this stage in particular begins [*in Bruges*](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/8a/98/58/8a9858cb86918301a0da484e743061b2.png) and ends at The Hague.
Strava had me going via Antwerp! But Komoot reckons I can island hop across Zeeland, but I just wanted to know whether this is doable? The Strava route would mean +1 more day, so I’d rather go the Komoot way.
Inland ferry services aren’t fantastic where I’m from in Britain, so I just wondered whether you all had quite good infrastructure here given your supernatural abilities to drain entire ocean basins!
It’s feasible. A lot of the route becomes more beatiful when you follow the beach line a bit more, especially through the dunes are bike paths away from motorised traffic that are quite nice. It will make the route slower however.
There are only two ferry rides on your route, which are dependable so that won’t be too big of a problem.
[ferry Breskens to Vlissingen](https://westerscheldeferry.nl/)
[ferry Rozenburg to Maassluis](https://www.blueamigo.com/veerdienstrozenburgmaassluis-vertrektijden/)
Last addition: the Westenschouwen area is quite beautiful. If you want to take a detour, be sure to take it there.
It depends on the direction and strength of the wind.
You only need 2 ferries. The rest is dams and bridges. Timeschedules of the ferries you can find on googlemaps.
Almost the whole route is bicycle road.
Between Zeeuws-Vlaanderen and Walcheren (the southernmost crossing, Breskens-Vlissingen) you need to take a ferry. You can book a ticket beforehand, but it’s usually not full.
Between the rest of the islands there is are the [Oosterscheldekeringen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oosterscheldekering) and bridges. I believe most of the route in the Netherlands (including the crossings over the water) has bicycle paths. So once you’re in Vlissingen you can just cycle without interruption.
When you get to Maassluis you’ll need to take another ferry. That one goes continuously, so I’d recommend going there and waiting for the next opportunity to cross.
I would maybe look at the EuroVelo 12 route, on some parts it’s somewhat different from your suggestion.
I haven’t cycled it myself, but since it’s such a popular route, I’m sure you would be able to get reviews on it (maybe also check or ask r/bicycletouring, the eurovelos are quite popular there as well).
I would use the ‘fietsrouteplanner’ to plan this route. Almost everywhere in the Netherlands, you’re able to cycle from number to number from the ‘fietsknooppuntnetwerk’. You will finds signs along the roads that will tell you which way to go towards the next number on your route.
https://routeplanner.fietsersbond.nl/
It is feasible, but your route could be nicer (but a bit longer). Komoot works great in that region btw.
From Vlissingen follow the canal cross it in Middelburg and keep following it until you reach Veere (neat village) and then head west. You can ride on top of the dunes of the Veerse Gatdam. If you turn west at the north side of the Oosterscheldekering and ride through Westenschouwen, Burgh-Haamstede and Renesse you’ll be more sheltered from the wind.
Same coming off the Brouwersdam, go west, and past the lighthouse. That route provides you with some shelter too, then takes you to a cycling path on top of the dunes, then back to a more sheltered part again.
If it’s doable for your schedule you can also take the ferry from the Maasvlakte to Hoek van Holland instead of the ferry between Rozenburg and Maassluis (https://www.hoeksveer.nl/EN/). It’s less frequent and takes a bit longer. I think it’s shorter from there to Scheveningen/The Hague and includes a cycling path on top of/through the dunes. Way better than the polders there.
To add: I’m from that region and cycle those roads often. If you have any questions I’m happy to answer them.
Get some inspiration at https://www.lfkustroute.nl/
You just have to be sure and save up your energy for the mountain stages. /s
For routes within the NL use an app called Route Planner from the local cycling association. IMO better than any alternative.
As a fellow Englishman living in den haag, if you need a place to crash on your route give me a shout!
Yes, it’s fietsible
The LF-1 route is recommended, it adds a few km’s but it winds through the dunes areas.
https://www.lfkustroute.nl/
The whole route is covered with directional signs so basically no need for maps
Absolutely a good and beautiful route.
I did the same route a few years back, just the other way around. I took three days to go from The Hague to Bruges, it’s also feasible in two days. Total distance is around 150km.
I advise you to change the route a bit more to the coast, there’s one of our Long Distance Bike Routes ([https://www.lfkustroute.nl/en](https://www.lfkustroute.nl/en)) which has very clear signs to follow (really on every corner you have to take).When I did this route I planned it very carefully, just to discover I could have just followed the signs.
Have fun!
Local here, there are some issues with the ferry between Rozenburg and Maassluis currently. The regular ferry that transport cars, cyclists and pedestrians is out of service. There’s an alternative service for cyclists and pedestrians, but keep in mind that it departs 2 kilometers north of the original terminal where navigation will probably lead you to. It departs every 30 minutes on .15 and .45
Alternatives are the ferry service between Maasvlakte and Hoek van Holland or the Beneluxtunnel in Vlaardingen which is accessible for bicycles as well. Have fun on your trip!
You need to find some more of the coastal bike paths. Especially in Zeeland these are nice.
I’ve done (basically) this route. If you have the energy to add a bit to your route I can recommend to add Westkapelle to the north west of Vlissingen.
It is really lovely route over there but it ads a maybe not insignificant amount of kilometers and it can be quite busy in the summer.
More important I think is to add Hoek van Holland to the west of Rotterdam. You will bike through the dunes which is highly recommended over your current route.
If you want, send me a pm and I can share my route and maybe give you more tips if you want, I cycled quite a lot through the Netherlands.
It’s a beautiful route! As other have mentioned, the feasibility depends on the wind. Normally you should have south-west wind which makes this a breeze. Otherwise, it’s [tough](https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/NK_Tegenwindfietsen).
The end of your route is slightly less nice to cycle and harder to navigate. I would recommend staying closer to the coast.
Google maps bikes is all you need to know
Stop by natural high on brouwersdam en do some kitesurfing.
Like others said, try to take the LF-route, you can pick it up in Knokke, and it will guide you through Het Zwin straight to the ferry in Breskens without ever having to share the road with cars. It might add a few km’s, but it takes you through nature reservers, mostly on dedicated cycle paths and straight into the centre of Den Haag.
https://www.lfkustroute.nl/en
Yes, I’ve cycled the majority of this route a few times on my road bike (I live in The Hague)
I would however, especially on the islands, take the route closer to the shore. It’s nicer and a bit less rural 😉
Between Maassluis and The Hague I’d recommend cycling to Schipluiden, then Abtwoudse Bos, and _then_ go to The Hague. Alternatively, you can go to Hoek van Holland and then The Hague, and for a big part you can actually cycle on top the dunes and have the sea on your left 🙂
Watch out that on Sundays some of the ferries you want to take have fewer sailings.
And lastly: when you arrive in The Hague and looking for a cycling buddy further up North, hmu 🙂
absolutely. I grew up in that province, the ‘Delta Works’ are magnificent to see (so is the nearbij Zeeland Bridge).
The crossing from Vlissingen / Breskens is a nice break to. But I wouldn’t bother visiting those places, but go on.
The inner roads of Zeeland can be pretty boring tbh, it’s all agriculture so not much to see except rows of crops. You kinda have to know the highlights, like: the old inner dikes of Zuid-Beveland, with lots of wild flowers which are probably in bloom soon. Very popular amongst cyclers, including locals. But Zuid-Beveland might be a bit off route for you.
I also really enjoy the dunes, especially around the tiny village Vrouwenpolder (best beach) or Burch-Haamstede (on schouwen-duiveland). There’s also lots of old cities and towns on route, like Veere, Zierikzee, Sluis & Sint Anna ter Muiden. All worth a visit!
Be aware that the area of Rotterdam is highly industrialised, it’s basically a huge harbour and not bicycle friendly.
❤ nothing but ‘ welkom en veel plezier’
Cycling in The Hague is the worst. The city has no clear structure, and few visible landmark to navigatie on. So if you divers from a marked route, you will get list terribly.
And practice crossing tram rails. If You’re not familiare with that: you need to agressively cross each rail, to avond to get your front wheel in the tracks and end up spitting front teeth debris.