Waterland
EUROPE, COUNTRY, CYCLING
BICYCLING THRU WATERLAND, THE NETHERLANDS
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“The flats” is a term best describing the Netherlands. Perfect for leisurely biking, which is what we did directly out of Amsterdam to the iconic Waterland district. The summer landscape was green and gorgeous. The cattle in the fields, the birds overhead, the occasional rooster’s crow and the ever-changing skies were a spectacular scene. Go if you ever have the chance.
Other than booking bicycles and a hotel room in advance, there wasn’t much to organize. There are several great cycling loops near Amsterdam through regions to the north and south. I had my heart set on Waterland, which is easily accessible and easy going. We could do a day trip or a weekend getaway. Weekend getaway, please!
I had a rough sketch in my mind and a tiny folded up paper map in my pocket, which I soon lost. I had a map with pins on my iPhone that I wasn’t in the mood to pull in and out of my backpack. In fact, we didn’t need any guidance; routes are well marked. The only thing one really needs to know is how to get out of Amsterdam and onto the path to Waterland. Here it is: roll down to Amsterdam Central Station and hop on a free ferry. When you get off, ask someone to point you in the right direction.
Our approach was to take small paths whenever possible and decide what to do at each fork in the road. Super friendly locals nudged us in one direction or another, and we almost always followed their lead. This is how we found the best places to eat (such as a sweet little canal side cafe called Theetuin Overlook ), a perfect picnic spot (with sandwiches from a neighborhood shop) and a trail out to a hidden beach (which looked like white sand but was actually a trillion cracked seashells.)
I chose the historic fishing village of Marken for our Saturday night stay. This meant we had all day Saturday to get there and all day Sunday to make our way back to Amsterdam. Since Waterland is not very big, we could relax, take as many detours as we wished and stop often.
Highlights of our first day were a grassy, waterside picnic in Broek in Waterland and a late afternoon stroll through Edam. From Edam, we rode to nearby Volendam to catch a ferry to Marken. We loved everything about our evening on Marken Island and our stay at the Hof van Marken Hotel. Make time to hang out in the teeny tiny town centered on the marina. We sat outside at De Taanketel and ate fish stew with a glass of rose. The following morning we circumnavigated the (automobile free) island via the coastal route, with long stretches high up top on the dyke. When we reached the bridge to the mainland, we took it to Monnickendam.
The second day brought us more joy as we explored Monnickendam and passed through sweet Broek in Waterland again, this time for a beer. It was fun rounding corners or breaking through stands of trees not knowing what we might find. At one point our bike lane brought us directly to the water’s edge. It took a moment to realize that the friendly woman smiling at us and issuing tickets was a ferry captain who would take us to the other side. The patch of concrete we were standing on was detachable, movable and with a few pulls on a cable we were crossing. We saw more canal life including cattle gulping water and families taking a spin in rowboats and kayaks, despite lingering dark clouds which kept shifting direction. When it finally rained, we took queues from the locals, put on our rain slickers and kept going. Only once, when it poured so heavily that we couldn’t see, did we have to pull over and stand under a large tree. Upon arrival in the magical nature reserve of Twiske, the sun came back out and threw shimmer everywhere.
Our weekend Route through Waterland
Amsterdam → Broek in Waterland → Monnickendam → Edam → Volendam
Marken Island → Monnickendam → Ipendam →
Twiske → Den Ilp → Landsmeer → Amsterdam
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