Bike and boat on Wadden sea - Wapen Fan Frysan

Holland by bike aboard the Wapen Fan Fryslân

Explore the north of the Netherlands by bike and aboard a sailboat and cross the typical landscapes of Holland. Discover the polders, meadows, canals and mills, but also the islands of Texel and Terschelling.

This route is popular and accessible to all, ideal for a first cycling trip in Europe.

Day 1 : Arrival in Enhkuizen

Boarding and check-in from 2:00 p.m., near the beautiful center of Enkhuizen and near the train station. After your installation, the skipper joins you for an aperitif before giving you a travel log, details about the ship as well as the safety measures on board. In the evening, stroll through the historic center of Enkhuizen, a picturesque town that was home to Dutch merchants during the Netherlands' golden age. Enjoy your first night in Enkhuizen on the western shore of Lake IJssel.

Day 2 : Enkhuizen - Medemblik (24 km or 37 km) | navigation between - Den Oever - Texel

Today the journey starts along the IJsselmeer coast through beautiful polder landscapes to Medemblik. After the bike tour, the boat will sail to Den Oever. Weather permitting, in the evening, the ship will weigh anchor to cross the Wadden Sea and reach the island of Texel.

Day 3 : Texel, loop (40km or 46km)

The island of Texel is a cyclist’s dream destination with its varied landscapes, marked cycle paths and picturesque villages. Take a round trip by bike to the largest of the Dutch North Sea islands, in exceptional surroundings. Then follow the Thijsse road (40 km) which will take you through the villages of the “Ecomare” sanctuary and you can visit a traditional beer brewery near the port of Oudeschild.

Day 4 : Texel - Terschelling 5 hours of navigation

Today, let yourself be carried by the sails of the boat to the island of Terschelling. As you cruise through the sandbanks of the Wadden Sea, you may spot the seals on the sandbanks.
In the afternoon, the ship arrives at Terschelling Island which includes several picturesque villages located between polders and sand dunes along its 30 km.
While sailing, you will enjoy a hearty lunch on board. No dinner will be served tonight to let you explore the island, but you can pack a picnic or try one of the fine restaurants in Terschelling (not included).

Day 5 : Terschelling loop, free distance

While the previous day was devoted to sailing, today return to your bike. Terschelling has a lot to offer cyclists: nature, culture, 70 km of cycle paths and 4 beautiful villages. West Terschelling is the largest village on the island and has a lot of shops and pubs. The island's lighthouse is proudly celebrating its 400th anniversary, it is nicknamed "old Brandaris lighthouse". Boschplaat is a region of moors that will captivate you with its beaches and dunes. You can spot ducks, black-winged stilts, large colonies of spoonbills and black-backed gulls.

After a day of cycling, you can relax on board.
At the end of the afternoon, the ship will cross the Wadden Sea to Harlingen, the most important port town in the province of Friesland with an original port housing old ships.

Day 6 : Harlingen - Franeker - Makkum (48 km / 58 km)

Discover Via Franeker and the famous planetarium of Eise Eisinga. Then travel through the beautiful Frisian countryside, passing through rural villages to the small port of Makkum on the eastern shore of Lake IJssel.

Day 7 : Makkum - Stavoren (32km / 49km) and navigation 

If you take the long version by bike, you can visit Bolswardz, one of the eleven Frisian towns. From Makkum you will pass to Stavoren. The short route takes you to the ancient commercial town of Hindeloopen where you will find the first Frisian Ice Skating Museum. The long circuit runs along several Frisian lakes and invites you to discover varied Frisian landscapes. From Stavoren, the ship will leave to cross Lake IJssel and reach Enkhuizen in the late afternoon.

Day 8 : end of the tour after breakfast. Disembarkation until 9:30 am.

General information :

• 8 days and 7 nights
• Comfort level of the barge : Standard
• Spoken languages on board : English 
• Child prices : please contact us

Dates :

Departure from Enkhuizen, Saturdays from 29/04 to 23/09/2023

• Low season : 23/09
• Mid season : 29/04, 06/05, 09/09 and 16/09
• High season : 13/05 to 02/09

Included :

• Full board stay (except dinner on day 4)
• Travel documents : we will provide you with the information relating to the progress of your stay as well as the itinerary upon validation of your reservation, subject to change.
• Non-guided loop tour

Not included :

• Dinner on day 4
• Transport to the place of departure
• Personal expenses
• Visits

Options :

• Bike rental
• Helmet
• Personal bike location (mandatory if no rented bike)
• Theft insurance for rented bikes
• Cancellation insurance
• Extra night(s) at the start or end of the tour in a hotel in Amsterdam

Level :

1 2 3 4 5 6

Ground :

Flat, very smooth roads and paths. 90% program on cycle paths.

Weather :

Contrary to popular belief, the temperature in the Netherlands is similar to the temperature in France. Near the coast, the weather is sometimes windy.

Technicality :

0 to 65 km of cycling per day, or about 3 to 5 hours of cycling. Easy route. No difficulties, accessible for anyone.

Bibliography :

- Guide and maps about the Netherlands on cartovelo.fr

Participants :

On board, you will meet an international community of all ages, men, women, singles and couples with children. We offer boats with 80 places maximum in cabins of 2 and 3 people.

Accompaniment :

People responsible for your bike and boat holidays are : 
On board, the captain and his mate. They are responsible for the smooth running of the vacation on the boat, and bring the boat from stage to stage. The cook prepares the meals.
The tour is without a guide, a morning briefing on the tour will present you the route each day.

Meals :

Breakfast : on board, you will find a substantial and dutch breakfast, worthy of a cyclist.
Lunch : after the breakfast, you will prepare by yourself a “lunch” (sandwich, fruit, snack, drinks).
Snack : after the daily route, you will find, when you arrive on the boat, various drinks such as tea and coffee prepared for your return, with a cake.
Dinner : at least three very good quality dishes. After dinner, you will have a choice of coffee and tea.
Other drinks, such as wine, beer, lemonade and mineral water, are not included but can be purchased on board at a reasonable price.

Bike :

At the beginning, on Saturday afternoon, a bike corresponding to your height, will be assigned to you. After a test ride, you will sign a receipt. The bike (21-speed bike) will be at your disposal all week until Friday afternoon, when the bike is handed over. The bike will be fitted with panniers.
If you take your own bike, it cannot be insured against theft by our company, you will have to make the necessary arrangements with your usual insurer. Do not forget your anti-theft. The return of your bike will be at your expense.

Transport : Geographic location

By train : the departure towns for the bike and boat tours are served by the railway.
Amsterdam and Enkhuizen train stations are very well connected : several trains daily run to and from France.
Thalys is faster to Amsterdam, and the equivalent of the TER will get you to Enkhuizen in an hour.
By plane : AMSTERDAM international airport.

Your vehicle : 

We strongly advise against parking cars on the streets of Amsterdam and Enkhuizen. Information on guarded parking lots in the city can be found on the following website : parkingcentrumoosterdok.nl. There also are several parking cars in the city of Enkhuizen.

Cancellation insurance :

In order to guarantee the refund of costs in the event of cancellation of your stay, you can take out cancellation insurance. To learn more, please click here.

Boat description : click here