Published: 01.06.2023
🇬🇧 English version below
Tour data: distance 110 kilometers (cum. 4,050 kilometers), Ø 20.8 km/h, duration 5:17 hours
Weather: at the start in Rotterdam the sky was gray and it was cool, then it got better and better until the sky was totally blue. The temperatures were also pleasant, reaching nearly 20°
Last night I strolled through Rotterdam a bit, also to buy groceries. It's been a long time since I've been to a KFC (Kentucky fried chicken). I didn't want to look at anything special, the time would be far too short for that.
Nevertheless, I got a good impression. For me it was actually always just a port city. But now I am convinced that Rotterdam has much more to offer.
I went to bed early because I wanted to leave early this morning. At some point in the morning I woke up because I saw that something on my planned tour could not always be driven on. I wanted to check that before I set off. After doing some research, I wasn't sure if the Rotterdam ferry was in operation. So I looked for alternatives.
I found them too! There are 2 tunnels for cyclists and pedestrians that go under the Meuse River. I changed the Komoot route accordingly, and the route became slightly shorter. I quickly reached the tunnel I chose, but it was difficult to find because its entrance is simply an elevator door, which is not even labeled. But two other people came along, and I followed them. It must go down quite far because the Meuse River is very wide here and designed for large ships. When I reached the bottom, the door opened and I found myself in a different world.
I was amazed to see that most cyclists come down using the escalator. That's why there was no one in front of the elevator. After quickly taking some photos, I rode through the generously designed tunnel. It is several hundred meters long, first going slightly downhill and then uphill after the halfway point. It was truly fascinating!
Back in the daylight, I looked back and took a photo to get my bearings.
As I continued my journey, I rode along the entire harbor and was amazed by the chaos of the many ships, docks, and cranes.
When I reached the first major bridge after a twenty-minute ride, I noticed the long line of vehicles waiting. There were also many cyclists who impatiently stood in front of the red light. But it soon became clear that the light would remain red because the bridge was broken. Thanks to the help of an employee, I found an alternative, a detour. But there was no other option, and I wasn't the only one who had to take it.
My destination for today was a few islands further south, connected by causeways and bridges. At some point, another drawbridge was wide open, and there was a no-entry sign in front of it. But after some time, I found a solution. A detour was set up through a lock gate, but it was difficult for me to locate. I had only just enough space to cross this lock gate, not to mention my fear of heights.
Mario told me on the phone that they would take another trip to Zierikzee. I decided spontaneously that I would also go there. It was only a detour of about 26 kilometers.
Zierikzee is a very beautiful small town where a market was taking place. After over 4,000 kilometers, I finally reached Mario and his family.
Again over a very long bridge, I arrived in Kamperland, where their vacation home is located. The bike path followed the water the entire way. It was a really nice ride.
I will stay in Kamperland for two days before continuing towards Brussels. This is my first break since Oslo.
https://www.komoot.de/tour/1146771949?ref=itd
E N G L I S H
Tour data: distance 110 kilometers (cum. 4,050 kilometers), Ø 20.8 km/h, duration 5:17 hours
Weather: at the start in Rotterdam the sky was gray and it was cool, then it got better and better until the sky was totally blue. The temperatures were also pleasant, reaching nearly 20°
Last night I strolled through Rotterdam a bit, also to buy groceries. It's been a long time since I've been to a KFC (Kentucky fried chicken). I didn't want to look at anything special, the time would be far too short for that.
Nevertheless, I got a good impression. For me it was actually always just a port city. But now I am convinced that Rotterdam has much more to offer.
I went to bed early because I wanted to leave early this morning. At some point in the morning I woke up because I saw that something on my planned tour could not always be driven on. I wanted to check that before I set off. After doing some research, I wasn't sure if the Rotterdam ferry was in operation. So I looked for alternatives.
I found them too! There are 2 tunnels for cyclists and pedestrians that go under the Meuse River. I changed the Komoot route accordingly, and the route became slightly shorter. I quickly reached the tunnel I chose, but it was difficult to find because its entrance is simply an elevator door, which is not even labeled. But two other people came along, and I followed them. It must go down quite far because the Meuse River is very wide here and designed for large ships. When I reached the bottom, the door opened and I found myself in a different world.
I was amazed to see that most cyclists come down using the escalator. That's why there was no one in front of the elevator. After quickly taking some photos, I rode through the generously designed tunnel. It is several hundred meters long, first going slightly downhill and then uphill after the halfway point. It was truly fascinating!
Back in the daylight, I looked back and took a photo to get my bearings.
As I continued my journey, I rode along the entire harbor and was amazed by the chaos of the many ships, docks, and cranes.
When I reached the first major bridge after a twenty-minute ride, I noticed the long line of vehicles waiting. There were also many cyclists who impatiently stood in front of the red light. But it soon became clear that the light would remain red because the bridge was broken. Thanks to the help of an employee, I found an alternative, a detour. But there was no other option, and I wasn't the only one who had to take it.
My destination for today was a few islands further south, connected by causeways and bridges. At some point, another drawbridge was wide open, and there was a no-entry sign in front of it. But after some time, I found a solution. A detour was set up through a lock gate, but it was difficult for me to locate. I had only just enough space to cross this lock gate, not to mention my fear of heights.
Mario told me on the phone that they would take another trip to Zierikzee. I decided spontaneously that I would also go there. It was only a detour of about 26 kilometers.
Zierikzee is a very beautiful small town where a market was taking place. After over 4,000 kilometers, I finally reached Mario and his family.
Again over a very long bridge, I arrived in Kamperland, where their vacation home is located. The bike path followed the water the entire way. It was a really nice ride.
I will stay in Kamperland for two days before continuing towards Brussels. This is my first break since Oslo.