For info: This will be starting from the second week of August and I will probably stay on the road for 10 days. I'm looking to camp instead of hotels/hostels. Looking forward for your suggestions!
by youcouldtryy
For info: This will be starting from the second week of August and I will probably stay on the road for 10 days. I'm looking to camp instead of hotels/hostels. Looking forward for your suggestions!
by youcouldtryy
7 Comments
On your second route, along the coast, check the wind direction! I cycled from Dunkirk to Bruges along the cost two years ago into a headwind the whole way. Along some of the beaches it was very unpleasant (think sandblasting!). There is an alternative route inland that runs along a river/canal and joins up with the canal between Ostend and Bruges.
I am also living in brussels and would prefer the second route. Actually I would take the train to Bruges and start from there
Belgian cycling infrastructure is good, but Dutch is better :).
Both your routes cover quite a few dense city areas. If that’s your thing that’s fine but there similar routes with more quietude to be found in these regions. Both are also near dead flat
I did Antwerp -> Arnhem -> Groningen in 5 days doing 100k per day. Quite possible because, as I said, it’s dead flat. So 10 days is quite a lot of time for these routes as well.
If you seek
– the best bike infrastructure—> Amsterdam route
– quiet countryside —> neither route
– adventure —> boulogne route has some more of it in North France with nice coastline and less civilization
Have fun!
I cycled from Zeeland to Calais this year and didn’t find the Belgian coast very attractive. The towns are dominated by concrete buildings, which spoils the beautiful landscape.
The route from Bruges to Ostend follows a canal and is very beautiful.
Option one seems more pleasant to me. You would have to go through Baale Nassau, following a beautiful railway line cycle path.
If you decide on doing the first route I would suggest skipping the Rotterdam/The Hague part and take a route just east of Utrecht. You’ll see the foresty part on the satellite; this is the Utrecht hillridge (Utrechtse Heuvelrug). Lots of camping areas there and very nice scenery.
I am originally from the Rotterdam area and have cycled there a lot: it isn’t pretty. Just endless grass farmlands and asphalt roads in between cities. The hillridge really is beautiful and has a lot of cute cycle paths in nature, along with nice restaurants/places to enjoy a drink.
I’ve done Amsterdam to Brussels. I was meant to be going to Paris, but I hated the cycling in Belgium so much I went back to the Netherlands.
On both of your routes you’re taking the cycling highway between Ghent and Antwerp. This one follows the railway line, and is quite boring.
There’s also a much more scenic (albeit longer) scenic route following the river Schelde (check out Vlaanderenroute / Kunstroute). If you can handle the distance I highly recommend this one. This one also has some foot/cycle ferries along the way (which might be importnt timing wise)