Uk to Amsterdam on a bicycle

[burlingo]

hello,

well...... this is a trip that should be starting near the end of this month. But as usual.... we've (me and a pal) left planning to the final minute.

We like our cycling and have had some "adventures" in foreign countries before. We're hoping this trip will not be as gruelling as others.

Basically we don't want to fly. So we started to think of other ways to do it. We're still not 100% on how we will do this.

Somehow i will rendezvous with my friend who currently lives over 170 miles away. Considered cycling this, but i don't really have the time. It will most likely have to be the train, or possibly a bus. I prefer the bus to be honest but the bike is going to be an annoyance.

Once i arrive i imagine i will stay the night with him. Then in the morning we will have to make it to Harwich. This is a popular port for ferries heading to the Hook Of Holland. To get there i imagine we will have to take some form of public transport.

So far i haven't found a great deal on a ferry ticket. Anyone got any experience with this particular route? any way of saving some money?

The ferry will be the most annoying and costly part of the trip (i hope anyway).

Anyway, once we arrive at the Hook of Holland our journey will heopefully be powered by nothing else but pure man power! haha.

I've been looking at various forums/sites and it seems that there are many routes available. we just have to pick the one which is nost appealing i guess.

The ride into amsterdam shouldn't take more than a day to complete. you can't plan for everything but fingers crossed our journey goes smoothly.

once in Amsterdam we will stay for a few days and then start the return journey. prefferably a different route back to the port.

does anyone have any good tips? places to visit? i don't just mean coffee shops etc... to be honest i don't think we will do much of that. if at all. haha, not something you hear every day i guess....

"Stoner going to Amsterdam but not trying out the local produce"

I want the trip to be more than that.

thanks, sorry for the wall of text.

 

[spliffbazz]

hey burlingo wud you not just buy a 1 way ticket to eindhoven should be cheap enough from heatrow and then the train from the airport is 4.50. and then when you want to go home another cheap 1 way last minute flight

spliffbazz

 

[burlingo]

hey burlingo wud you not just buy a 1 way ticket to eindhoven should be cheap enough from heatrow and then the train from the airport is 4.50. and then when you want to go home another cheap 1 way last minute flight

spliffbazz

hey spliffbazz.

thanks for your input. that would be ideal however we are trying to keep our carbon footprint to a minimum. i know that a ferry isn't much better, but every little helps

 

[spliffbazz]

yes i understand its a good idea but challenging and if your able to manage it ill try it but will have to take 2 ferrys no bs il try find ou sum routes
meself and post them up

spliffbazz

 

[burlingo]

thanks man

+rep

 

[aba]

You MUST stop at a coffee shop if your in Amsterdam! come on! the famous ones are the ones to go to like
the Grey Area,Dampkring,Tweede. Then there is the museum's to go to... the Red Light district is okay, avoid
the dealers thought thats how people get muged or get bad products.
Thats it really I personally only go there for the coffee shops... I'll rather go to France if its just to visit.

 

[spliffbazz]

yes the coffe shops are brialliant only been 1nce but animal time 2 r 3 grams for 15 euro did i die and go to heaven


spliffbazz

 

[burlingo]

haha, we'll see what happens.

we haven't really made a perfect plan to get there yet. never mind planning what to do when we get there. haha

 

[spliffbazz]

just on bmibaby.com i know you want to keep the carbon footprint down but if you cycle to birmingham youl get a one way flight to amsterdam for 24.99 inc taxes and charges from july to september

spliffbazz

 

[burlingo]

those prices are tempting, especially after seeing what the cost of the ferry could be.

we'll have to really think about this, but i have a feeling my friend will not step foot on a plane.

 

[burlingo]

well.... trips definately on!

how much we actually cycle will depend on weather etc......

just a few questions about Amsterdam itself.....

say you visit a coffee shop, buy a few grams. can you smoke it anywhere in the city? or only in certain areas.

umm... i have more Q's i'm sure, just can't think of them right now.

 

[Bookworm]

If you work on it, a 170 bike ride is a one day trip. My dad (who is 51) does double century (200 mile) rides about 5 times a year, and that's 200 miles with 6,000-12,000 vertical feet of climbing. One day (albeit ALL DAY) ride.

 

[Blazing Ryan]

I don't really have much input for you besides that fact that I think this is an amazing idea and would be a grand adventure.
Can't wait for the day I venture over to Amsterdam.

 

[CrackerJax]

I would dare say that the ferry is more efficient than the airplane. If you are worried about carbon footprint that is. Depending on the size of the aircraft it can take between 1000-3000 gallons of fuel just to take off from the strip.

If you have a spare day check out the Wadden isles. Pretty neat..Texel is beautiful. Again, if you have a day, go to Arnhem. Great park there to bike and a fantastic art museum smack dab in the middle of it. Lot of history there, very serene.... now.

Ahh, ok, didn't see your question. No, you can't smoke it just anywhere. Technically it is still illegal, but tolerated. Keep that in mind. Don't act the fool, don't do it parks near any kids, yah know, common sense stuff. Use good judgement. On our first trip over there, we were on the outskirts sitting at a bus stop smokin a joint with a pair of policeman across the street. I think they knew we were tourists and just let it slide since no one else was around.