Day 1: Amsterdam – Oude Wetering, Roundtrip approx. 10 km
Individual arrival. Embarkation between 12:30 pm. and 1:30 pm. The barge leaves dock at 2 pm. Sailing to Oude Wetering and short biketrip with approx. 15 km.
Day 2: Oude Wetering – Gouda, approx. 45 km
From Oude Wetering you will continue your tour over country roads, banks and channels through the Green Heart and polders to the city known for its cheese: Gouda. After dinner you will take a walk through the city.
Day 3: Gouda – Alblasserdam – Gouda, approx. 40 km
Today you will cycle along the Dutch Ijssel, through the deepest lying polder of the Netherlands: Krimpenerwaard and over narrow cycling paths to the river ‘Lek’. Here you will cross the river by ferry to Kinderdijk, a unique and renowned monument where Holland’s largest number of historical windmills is found. After a beautiful tour through the Alblasserwaardpolder you will arrive at the banks of the river ‘Beneden-Merwede’.
A modern, fast ferry will take you over to Dordrecht, one of the oldest cities of the Netherlands, situated at a busy crossing of fairways.
Day 4: Dordrecht – Zierikzee, approx. 54 km
From Dordrecht we will sail to the Delta area of the Dutch greater rivers during breakfast. In Willemstad, an old fortified town, you start your cycle tour and ride over the Volkerakbrug (with beneath it, one of the busiest locks in the world) to the former island of Goeree-Overvlakkee. Just before reaching your destination of today (Zierikzee, on the island of Schouwen-Duivenland) you will visit the ‘Watersnoodmuseum’. A shorter version of today’s route is offered by sailing to Bruinisse, from where the group of remaining cyclists can be joined to Zierikzee, after which the Watersnoodmuseum is visited.
Day 5: Zierikzee – Middelburg, approx. 51 km
On this day you will cycle towards the North Sea, along the Oosterschelde to the Oosterscheldedam. After this dam we will paddle to Middelburg, but not without visiting the picturesque port town of Veere. Middelburg is the lively principal town of Zeeland with many old houses, churches, the beautiful town hall and a pleasant shopping.
Day 6: Middelburg – Vlissingen – Ghent, approx. 45 km
With the unique cycle ferry to Breskens in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen (Dutch-Flanders). You are getting close to Belgium. You will arrive at the Dutch-Belgian border in Sas van Gent, the former gateway to the harbor of Ghent, through an area with small villages, along creeks, bending embankments and beautiful panoramas. After a short journey of 1.5 hours, you will arrive in Ghent. From the pier, we can simply take the tram to the medieval centre of this beautiful city.
Day 7: Ghent – Bruges, approx. 45 km
This morning you will cycle through Ghent to the scenic countryside of Oost-Vlaanderen (East-Flanders). Characteristic for this are the woods, fields, small villages and castles. From the Aalterbrug the last part of this route takes you over the former tow path along the canal of Oostende-Gent, the oldest canal of Belgium, to Bruges. The impressive city of Bruges is the end destination of this bike and barge trip. You will pay a visit to the medieval city of Bruges at the end of this day.
Day 8: Bruges
Disembarkation after breakfast and departure before 10 am.
