Self Guided Adult Cycling Holiday

It is always a pleasure to cycle in the Netherlands. The wonderful network of cycle paths makes it un-necessary ever to ride on busy roads.

Assen is the capital of the "Cycling Province" of the Netherlands and is a perfect place to base a cycling holiday. This holiday is suitable for adults, or parents with older children who can cycle a little further.

As this is a self guided holiday, you can take it on any week that you wish.

The price includes Bed and Breakfast or Hotel accommodation for seven nights. We can also arrange different length holidays. Required maps and ride guides are included.

The rides

Daily ride distances are between 30 and 90 km in length with a variety of destinations. We always return to the same point each day, so it is not necessary to carry luggage other than what will be required during the day.

Saturday Arrive in Assen. If you are early enough, have a look at Assen's award winning market. Sunday Countryside, a village which is entirely a museum of Drents life, forests, farm land, back to Assen. 58 km. Monday Farmland, Forest, a real windmill, more than one lovely village, canals, dykes, forest and heath and returning through near a lake. 60 km. Tuesday Many hunebedden, including the largest in the Netherlands and a centre with information about them. Forest, heath, villages, cafes, a swimming lake. 61 km Wednesday Three choices today. Assen's award winning market is on which makes this a good day to stay in the city. Also, the Drentsmuseum in Assen has many interesting exhibits. We also provide directions for a very short ride to the swimming pool and sauna or to a lake-side beach. Thirdly, consider riding through some lovely villages, forest, past a look out tower, a radio telescope, and through the concentration camp where Anne Frank spent her last days in the Netherlands. This is followed by a very pleasant ride back through forest and heath to the city and comes to a total of 39 km. Thursday Today we ride to Groningen (30 km) and either spend the day there and return by train, or cycle back (making a total of 68 km). On the way out we ride past a clog museum and a beautiful garden and art museum. The return journey through the countryside takes you through forest, heath, past highland cattle etc. Groningen has many restaurants, cafes etc. and is has more cycling than any other city in the world. There are also many cafe stops possible on the way to and from Groningen. Friday An 86 km ride through vast areas of forest and heath to a village with several museums, including the interesting "Museum of Fake Art". Or, if you didn't ride on Wednesday, follow that much shorter route. Saturday Depart after breakfast.

You can start each day at any time you like after breakfast. The distances are short, so plenty of time is included for morning coffee and lunch stops (the ride guides point out good locations). For evening meals you will be back in Assen (or perhaps in Groningen on Thursday) and be able to go to any of the many varied restaurants.

Bicycles

If you bring you own bicycles, we ask that you please make sure in advance that they are well maintained, possibly by asking a bike shop to service the bikes. Also, we ask that you carry with you a puncture repair kit and any required spare parts.

As the holiday has a fixed base you will not have to carry all your luggage with you. However, please consider how you will carry what you need from day to day on your bike. It is more comfortable to carry items on the bike in a basket or pannier than in a backpack.

All our rides are on solid concrete and tarmac road surfaces.

With adequate warning we can also help with hire bicycles. These will not have a bewildering array of un-necessary gears but will have mudguards and racks and a comfortable saddle. Hire of child seats etc. may increase the cost of hire. A hire bicycle typically costs per day.

Anything Else ?

If you have special dietary needs, such as being a vegetarian or vegan, we can help. Just let us know.

Cycling in the Netherlands is very safe. Nevertheless, we strongly recommend that participants have both travel insurance and third party liability insurance.

Children must be supervised by their parents or carers at all times.

How to book

For this week of holiday we offer a choice of Bed and Breakfast or Hotel accommodation. The B&B is walking or cycling distance of the city centre, the Hotel is in the city centre. Both give a choice of evening meals at any of Assen's many and varied restaurants.

The total cost of the holiday including 7 nights of Bed and Breakfast accomodation is just per adult or per child (16 and under - children must be accompanied by parents or guardians).

It is also possible to book accommodation for two adults sharing the same hotel room at a rate of per person. We regret that a discount for children is not available in the hotel accommodation.

A deposit of per person is required on booking and full payment of the balance 1 month in advance of the tour. Or you can pay the full amount now.

Please contact us directly by email or use the paypal buttons below to book.

Self guided long ride deposit of per person
Self guided long ride adult B&B- full advance payment of
Self Guided Family Long Ride Child B&B (16 and under) - full advance payment of
Self guided long ride adult Hotel - full advance payment of
View shopping cart

How to get here

Please book the tour first and wait for confirmation before booking your transport.

From the USA: It is possible to fly to Amsterdam Schiphol directly from many US airports. There is a direct train service from Schiphol to Assen which takes about 2 hours. When I last checked, Schiphol to Assen by train cost for a single ticket and for a return. A non-folding bicycle costs an additional per day for any journey.

From the UK: Assen is near to Groningen Eelde airport which is served by VLM from London City Airport (www.flyvlm.com). It is also possible to fly from most UK airports to Schiphol. You can then take a direct train from Schiphol to Assen which takes about 2 hours. When I last checked, Schiphol to Assen by train cost for a single ticket and for a return. A bicycle costs an additional per day for any journey.

For those who would rather not fly, there is of course also the option of taking a ferry (Harwich to Hoek-van-Holland, Hull to Rotterdam or Newcastle to Ijmuiden) and continuing by rail, or all the way by rail.

One of the most convenient and lowest cost options for those in East Anglia or London is to take the Dutch Flyer combined train/ferry service which provides a train from London or East Anglia to Harwich, the ferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland and a train from Hoek van Holland to any location in the Netherlands including Assen for one all in price of about £30.

Click for information on our other tours...