dunkerque to amsterdam?

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paulhelyer 16 Jan 15:40  

Joined: 16 Jan 2010

Posts: 4

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i am planning a ride from dunkerque to amsterdam later this year on road bike-. Can anyone recommend an approximate route please? Any pitfalls, problems, places to avoid?

we are planning to cover it in a day, starting at 6am and finishing hopefully before 10pm.

any advice is appreciated.

thanks,
paul

soren 16 Jan 22:54  

Joined: 09 Jan 2010

Posts: 88

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My Profile
I have no experience of cycling in Europe, but plenty of experience driving in Europe,After having a quick look at google maps I would suggest you plan your route as close to the coast as possible staying mainly on the N roads, it looks at 1 point that you could get a ferry from Breskins to Vlissengen then over 1 or 2 longish Bridges before arriving in Rotterdam, I would then still stay close to the coast until I got nearer to Amsterdam then go in for the kill. I may be way off the mark but I hope I have given you some help.
Ride safe and the best of luck.


Preep 17 Jan 23:50  

Joined: 17 Jan 2010

Posts: 1

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I have done most of the route following the North Sea Cycle Route (see http://www.northsea-cycle.com/default.asp?id=1&mnu=1&lang=1 for details).
Once you get to Belgium you can follow the coastal route to Sluis in the Netherlands, then follow LF1 (b direction) past Zandvoort, then take the LF20 through Haarlem and on to Amsterdam.
The route has 2 ferry crossings from Breskens to Vlissingen and from Rozenburg to Maassluis.
Useful guides are "Fietsennetwerk - De Kust (7) for Belgium and Noordzee/Waddenzee route for the netherlands.
The cycle route is interesting and relatively straight forward, but I took several days over it - is there a reason why you need to do it in a day? If so it may be quicker to stick to roads.

Peter


paulhelyer 18 Jan 21:03  

Joined: 16 Jan 2010

Posts: 4

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Cheers for your suggestions.

If it is possible I would like to do it without ferries. Am I right in my calculations that it is around 200 miles from Dunkirk?

We are looking for a bit of a challenge. We completed Portsmouth to Brighton and back last summer (100 mile round trip) in half a day and so are looking to expand on this.

I do not mind a long, hard day and on the basis of a 15 mph average speed over 14 hours (if it is 200 miles) plus a couple of hours throughout the day to eat, stretch and fix punctures (plus raising a bit of cash for some worthy charities).

Paul


Bicycle Friends 01 Jun 21:18  

Joined: 01 Jun 2010

Posts: 13

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My Profile 		Don't worry about the fast ferry between Breskens and Vlissingen. In summertime, it goes twice an hour.
Otherwise you're obliged to use the Westerscheldetunnel in Terneuzen, and that's only possible if you put your bike on a bus of Connexxion!
http://www.westerscheldetunnel.nl/repository/faq//oversteek%20westerschelde.pdf (dutch, with time tables)
The first inland connection is possible only in Antwerp! I think you can forget your one day trip then.


FfJoe. 22 Dec 16:33  

Joined: 22 Dec 2011

Posts: 1

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Hello Paul,
how did this planned ride go? I am planning a similar trip and would like to know if the route you took was suitable for road/racing bikes. Any help would be great. Someone suggested to me that the the north sea cyle route was largely unmade roads and only suitable for mountain bike/hybrids? Any truth in this? any answer welcome.


Bicycle Friends 26 Dec 22:57  

Joined: 01 Jun 2010

Posts: 13

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My Profile 		As far as I know, all parts of the Noordzeeroute are suitable for normal bicycles. Have a look at http://www.fietsnet.be/routeplanner/default.aspx
Only the orange lines are unpaved.