Biking touring Holland has always been one of my travel goals, and I recently got a chance to get a taste of that, biking along the Netherland’s Sand Dunes up the North Sea coast from The Hague towards Amsterdam.
On a late April afternoon, I eagerly messaged my favourite local bike repair shop, Lola Bikes & Coffee, in The Hague, Netherlands about an article I had just found on a bike website depicting Fat Tire biking on the sandy beaches of South Holland. It was mentioned in the article that they offered Fat Bike rentals and I was keen to get out on the weekend. I am an experienced cyclist and had purchased a new Fat Bike back home a couple of months prior and was stoked to try the super-sized tires on the beach, as I typically ride in the Rocky Mountains.
The shop quickly returned my email stating that sorry, they no longer rented these types of bikes and my anticipation quickly turned to disappointment. I was still eager to get out for a long-distance ride so I went with my ‘Plan B’ and rented a typical, black, 3-speed Dutch bike from the Hilton, The Hague where I was staying that week.
My plan was to meet up at a friend and colleague’s house which was about a 10-minute ride from the hotel directly toward the beach in Scheveningen. From there we would ride up the coast through the picturesque, highly ecologically sensitive, and well-protected sand dunes along the country’s North Sea coastline, stopping for a nice lunch overlooking the beach and sea.
Riding the Path Along the North Sea to Noordwijk
Heading out of the city, I was quite taken with the beauty of the area. The pathway, although technically along the sea, meandered in and out of the giant sand dunes that stretched from the seaside to more than a kilometre inland.
The area had a serene but sometimes desolate beauty about it that I had not seen in this part of the world before.
As we began the 25km trek north it became clear how important the protection of this sensitive landscape is. Much of the pathway was fortified by electrified fences, with copious signs telling visitors that it is forbidden to stray from the path and enter the sandy hills.
“How could this be?
the Netherlands
is a completely Flat country!“
Luckily, the pathways weren’t at all congested considering it was a weekend. A few families were out for group walks, random singles, or paired cyclists. There were, however about every 4-5 minutes, a regular stream of seemingly ‘hardcore’ Dutch cyclists. They all wore race-ready spandex gear embossed with bicycle brands like Trek, Giant, or S-works, and looked straight out of the Tour de France. Always in pairs or triplicate, they rode in close configuration seemingly inches apart. They produced such a high-pitched whine with their fast cadence that you could hear them coming well before they sped past, mere inches away.
Why Are There Dunes in the Netherlands?
Protecting approximately two-thirds of the Netherlands’ 450kms of coastline, the Dunes are extremely important conservation areas, critical to the preservation of the Netherlands itself. The areas form a natural high ground along the ocean saving the country, much of which is below sea level, from flooding. In addition, they form a conservation area for a majority of species in the and are an important filter for rainwater and surprisingly, a source of highly purified drinking water for cities such as Amsterdam and The Hague.
| Photos ©️travellifebalance.com
The Dunes were formed, and are constantly reshaped by the movement of sand, both by the wind and waves. Vegetation and its root systems take hold and stabilize the dune, allowing for even more sand to accumulate and perpetuate the Dune’s growth.
Finding a Comfy Spot for Some Rest and a Great Lunch
After about an hour and a half of climbing and coasting through the Dunes, my legs were getting pretty spent from powering the Dutch 3-speed bicycle and I was ready for a nice break and a tasty lunch.
Entering the town of Noordwijk, we rode down a nicely paved path that led us to the beach and an area where a number of lovely restaurants and beach clubs are located. We found a very comfy place called Branding Beach Club located on a strip of nice restaurants that sit directly on the beach offering stunning views of the ocean. Unlike many of the restaurants further down in Scheveningen, this restaurant is open year-round.
The food turned out to be really exceptional and we were both really satisfied with our choice of lunch. Unfortunately, it was still a bit too cold to sit on the terrace, but the restaurant had amazing views from the inside nonetheless. This was a great place to spend a nice relaxing hour in the chic and cozy atmosphere.
After lunch, I noticed we were getting pretty close to The Keukenhof, the Dutch flower gardens not too far away in Lisse. I would have loved to have taken a detour around the lovely flower fields, however, we had a 25km trip back to The Hague and decided to leave that for another time.
I tracked the ride on the sports training app Strava, which does a decent job of tracking and sharing your ride on its own social media type app. I was astounded that on this 50km trip, we had climbed over 213m in elevation. Contrast that to many of my rides back home in the Mountains where a typical ride might reach 375m of elevation I was quite shocked. How could this be? the Netherlands is a completely Flat country!
I am still quite keen to try a Fat Bike on the beach someday and I hope on one of my next trips back I finally get a chance. Perhaps I’ll pack my own fat tire bike to bring along on my next adventure!
Have you cycled in the Netherlands, near the dunes, the beautiful beaches and the countryside or maybe in the city? Please let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear about your experiences of riding in this wonderful country!