A car ferry takes us over the estuary leading to the enormous Europort of Rotterdam. A massive wall of concave concrete is built as a blast barrier beside an oil tanker dock. Let's hope they never need it! The rest of the delta is bridged by a long flood defence barrier which we cycle over to the traditional village of STELLENDAM and their pristine, spacious farm campsite.
Skeins of geese cross the blue morning sky giving hope of a dry run. The first village we reach as we continue west is about the most charming we have visited in Holland. The narrow streets of GOEDEREEDE are paved with brick and lined with diddy terrace houses. The canal is widened to form a small quay where fresh produce is being sold from stalls.
The cycle path out is through fields where a silly hare runs along in front of us for 1/2 a mile before realising he can escape into the fields at the side. I look after the bikes in the next town while Mike food shops, and as usual, someone stops to chat, this time a retired professional footballer. He tells me he played in goal until he was 35 but it ruined his knees so he can't cycle far now.
We pass over a string of 4 islands, the first two joined by long causeways. Campervans piled high with surf boards line the endless beaches on the north sea side but there is no surf today.
A long bridge takes us over more flood defences and then we pass through wooded dunes.
We are standing looking lost in VLISSINGEN when a local cyclist stops and insists it is easier for him to take us to the ferry than explain the directions. What a lovely chap. The bicycle ferry to the mainland has space in it's "garage" for about 100 bikes. There is a string of large campsites on the other side near BERKENS, so we book in at the first, with 4000 miles completed so far. After a mainly sunny day we are a bit alarmed by our caravanning neighbours telling us they are packing up to go home early as bad weather is coming!
They were right.
At 6.30 am the heavens open for the start of a 2hr thunder storm. Our weather weary tent leaks a little at seams but not in the bed area. We make a dash for the modern facilities, to plug in our travel kettle for tea. Things are worse here with the roof leaking and water pouring through light fittings. We pack up and leave ASAP as the site is below sea level and beginning to fill up with water. Nearby farmworkers in souwesters are up ladders picking the pear harvest. Within 25 miles we are at the village of WATERVLIET and into Belgium (our 8th country). Almost immediately the rain stops (and so do dedicated cycle paths!).
We head into the centre of GHENT down a canalside. What a treasure trove!
Medieval churches and houses surround quays and cobbled squares. Apparently there are 900 listed buildings and this is easy to believe. What makes it all so attractive is the lack of cars as they are excluded from a large area with access only for pedestrians, cyclists and trams. A lot less crowded than Prague, and untouristy.
After a good look round we head back along the canal road to Warm Showers host Roul. An impressive touring cyclist as not long back from a trip via Greece,Iran and China to Thialand, rather raising the bar for us!
Miles to date 4,045
Location:LEIDEN to GHENT
