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On Day 4, Saturday, the weather forecast proved accurate for once: heavy rain. It was my last day and I had to get back to Hook for the ferry at 9pm, which gave me plenty of time. I had planned to follow the route from Utrecht to the Hook via Gouda given in
'Cycling in the Netherlands' by Eric van der Horst. But I didn't fancy slogging across the polders in the pouring rain. So I did some 'hot re-planning', and decided to take the train to Leiden, which I hadn't seen before, mooch around till lunchtime, then see what the weather was doing.
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| It turned out a good day: Typical signing,on Noordzeeroute |
So I bade farewell to my hosts at the B&B, and headed down the Vecht again to Utrecht station. Things were a lot quieter there on the Saturday: the only snag was that the lift down to the platform was out of action which meant a rather precarious descent with heavy panniers on the escalator. But I arrived in Leiden after a short and painless journey. Here, I stowed my bike in the station bike park: most main stations have one, and for around a euro you can leave your bike in an indoor bike park, which is manned all the time. I took a risk, and left my panniers on the bike: didn't want to lug those round (I removed valuables like passport, GPS, money etc, obviously; I reckoned if thieves wanted to take all my dirty laundry, they were welcome to it!)
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| Bike park at Leiden station |
I then walked around Leiden: the usual attractive historical Dutch town centre with venerable old buildings, coffee shops etc. There was a busy 'High Street' including a street market, with a nice buzz. I sheltered from the rain in the massive Kerk, where a period instrument orchestra was playing: beautiful. I plodded back to the station and got a total drenching. I grabbed a sandwich for lunch at one of the station eateries (a ham sandwich: I have to say the meat was like gristle, but the bread filled me up, and at least the place was warm and dry). I was relieved to find my bike and panniers were still all present and correct in the bike park.
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| High Street in Leiden |
Now, the big gamble. The rain eased a bit. I could take the train to Hook (change at Schiedam), but that would leave me with hours to kill. So I decided to chance it, and head out to the coast around Katewijk, then head down to Hook along the Noordzeeroute (retracing my route on Day 1 from Duindorp to Hook. I found it pretty easy to follow my rather sodden ANWB map (hint: put your map in one of those re-sealable plastic freezer bags) from KP to KP, although I did go wrong a couple of times (let's hear it for GPS). By the time I hit the coast ivo Wassenar, the rain had finally stopped. For one horrible moment I thought a yellow diversion sign was telling me that the Noordzeeroute was closed, but just in time, a cyclist emerged from it and assured me it was open all the way. (I did experience several places on my trip where the cycle route was undergoing repair, and I had to follow the signed diversions: but at least it's a sign they look after their routes.)
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| By the beach, Noordzeeroute |
For once there was a strong tail wind (instead of a head wind), and I fairly flew down the route: miles of brilliant cycle track through the dunes. I stooped for a cuppa at the cafe by the Water Tower at Scheveningen. South of Scheveningen/Duindorp, the skies began to clear and my luck was in, it was a brilliant sunny, very breezy, afternoon. On my way up on Day 1 I had stayed on the 'inland' route, but this time I followed a sign to the beach just south of Kirkduin (where there is Cafe Flamengo) - the coast here is one massive long beach.
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| Kite surfer |
There were loads of kite-surfers out, and after enjoying the spectacle I set off again. I then realised there is a second, excellent, cycle path just above the beach all the way to Ter Heijde/ Monster, where it resumes for a while on the other side. It gave great views out to sea and all that surfing action.
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| The 'fietspad' beside the beach |
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| Satanic mills |
As I approached the Hook, the 'satanic mills' (refineries and petrochemical plants) on the other side of the estuary were silhouetted against the sun and the dazzling sea: a 'Turner-esque' scene. On the green sward along the front near the port, it being around 6pm, I stopped at the fish and chip restaurant overlooking the estuary (one of several restaurants hereabouts). It was very good, although quite expensive: but it has excellent views of the shipping heading in and out of Rotterdam. When I came out, the liner 'Rotterdam' was setting off, cheered by a waving crowd on the shoreline: like a jigsaw puzzle box top.
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| SS Rotterdam leaving .... Rotterdam |
I looked around a bit at the statue monument to the 'kindertransport' children who made it to England via the Hook, plus the 'Atlantic Wall' fort. I toyed with heading inland a couple of miles to see the Storm Surge barrier at Maeslantkering. But I then I had that feeling that it had been a perfect afternoon, why rush about. So I just headed straight for the ferry, which I boarded after a short wait, and was glad just to chillax in my cabin.
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