Gourmet Cycling Explorations in the Netherlands

This ride is a fixed-base or semi-fixed-base ride, please read the ride description for more details.

† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $85 and $150 for all other countries, both are per participant.

Ride Description

Spend 12 nights and days discovering the culinary traditions of the Green Heart and the West Friesland areas­ located north and south of Amsterdam, Netherlands. We’ll spend six nights in each of two lovely hotels; in Woerden, a charming Dutch town known for its rich history, traditional cheese markets, and picturesque canals, and in Schagen, a friendly market town known for its lively square and its celebrations of West Frisian folklore. 

Our boutique hotel in Woerden, Van Rossum City Hotel is in the Arsenaal, a national monument dating from 1762 in the historic city center and whose restaurant is known for its culinary indulgence of local produce. For the second week of our trip, our home is the boutique Hotel Markstad in Schagen whose restaurant offers a French kitchen experience with Dutch influences where the best ingredients and local regional products are sourced from traditional, mostly organic, suppliers.

From Woerden in the Green Heart, we’ll ride through the countryside on well-marked routes and paths through typical Dutch natural areas with windmills, farms, historic towns, and traditional crafts. Daily loop rides from Woerden will take us to such iconic Dutch sites as the Keukenhof Tulip Garden in Lisse, the cheese town of Gouda, to the windmill complex of Kinderdijk, to Utrecht, an ancient university town built around the Dom Tower, and along the waterline to Weesp and Muiden, a small, old Dutch town in the shadow of Amsterdam. From Schagen in North Holland, daily loop rides will take us through the Kop West Friesland area which has been called ‘Netherlands in a Nutshell’ with its diversity of natural phenomena alongside a rich maritime history. Daily loop rides out of Schagen will take us to Memdemblik, with a rich history as a prosperous 17th-century port city; to Edam known for its eponymous Edam cheese; to Bergen aan Zee, a popular beach resort on the west coast of North Holland; to Den Helder where the ferry to departs to Texel Island, the largest of the Dutch Wadden islands with expansive sandy beaches; and to the cheese market in Alkmaar.

Ride Rating: This ride is rated a 1B and we provide at least two loop route options every day: a long and a short route. We have 10 riding days with the average ‘long’ ride length of 47 miles; the longest ‘long’ route is 58miles. Shorter routes of 25-35 miles are available every day but they do not always travel to the attractions/sites found on the longer routes. We also have created some optional XL routes of 63, 66, and 66 miles for those who want to cycle more miles. As we will be based in two fixed locations, riders have the option of a daily long or short ride, doing an alternate ride, or can take a day of leisure. All routes are loop rides and are self-supported; there is no support vehicle. A day off is planned in the middle of the trip when we will transfer from Woerden to Schagen but you may choose to cycle that day to Schagen (63 miles) and have your luggage brought by the bus. Our hotels are in towns with train stations so some of the longer routes may be shortened with a train ride. A map of trains in the Netherlands is available at: https://nieuws.ns.nl/spoorkaart-2025-hier-te-downloaden/.

The Netherlands is very flat and there is minimal climbing, but the wind can be very strong—the Dutch Mountains is used metaphorically to refer to the challenging and often relentless headwinds encountered while cycling on the flat Dutch terrain. The riding pace will not be at your usual road cycling MPH given the navigation required and the sights to stop and see. Most days offer the possibility of visiting an attraction or city. There will be about 16 hours of daylight to enjoy the beautiful countryside.

ITINERARY AND HIGHLIGHTS

Day 1, Tues., May 4: The tour begins at NOON today when we will meet at Amsterdam Schiphol airport for our bus ride to our hotel, Van Rossum Stadshotel in Woerden; get rental bikes.

Day 2, Weds., May 5 Ride 1L to Keukenhof Tulip Garden in Lisse, 58 miles. Ride 1S West of Woerden 24 miles.

Day 3, Thurs., May 6 (Ascension Day Public Holiday; many businesses and restaurants will be closed) Ride 2L to Gouda, Schoonhaven, Nieuwpoort, and Oudewater, 41 miles. Ride 2S to Gouda and Oudewater, 26 miles.

Day 3: Fri., May 7; Ride 3L to World Heritage Kinderdijk Windmills, 18 EUR entry fee, 52 miles. Ride 3S Around Woerden, 21 miles. (Market Day in Woerden).

Day 4: Sat., May 8, Ride 4L to Castle de Haar, Utrecht and Restaurant Vroeg for lunch, 41 miles. Ride 4S West to Alphen aan De Rijn 28 miles. (Market Day in Woerden).

Day 5: Sun., May 9, Ride 5L to Weesp and Muiden; return along the Vecht River, 53 miles. Ride 5S Castles South of Woerden, 38 miles.

Day 6, Mon., May 10, TRANSFER TO Schagen BY BUS; 60 miles; 1.5 hours. OPTIONAL: Cycle to Schagen 63 Miles

Day 7, Tues., May 11: Ride 6L to Medemblik, 39 miles. Ride 6S Around Schagen, 25 miles. Ride 6XL to Enkhuizen 63 miles.

Day 8, Weds., May 12: Ride 7L to Edam, 54 miles. Ride 7S The Story of Hollands Kroon West, 37 miles.

Day 9, Thurs., May 13: Ride 8L Beaches and Dunes--Callantsoog, Bergen aan Zee and Schoorl, 43 miles. Ride 8S Beaches and Dunes—Petten, Bergen aan Zee, and Schoorl, 35 miles.

Day 10, Fri., May 14: Ride 9L to Den Helder and Anna Paulowna Gardens, 45 miles.

Ride 9S to Den Helder, 35 miles. Ride 9XL to Den Helder and around Texel Island, 66 miles.

Days 11, Sat., May 15: Ride 10L to Hoorn, 44 miles. Ride 10S to Alkmaar, 32 miles. Ride 10XL to Zaanse Schans Windmill Village, 64 miles. 

Day 12, Sun., May 16: 7:30 AM depart for Amsterdam Schiphol by bus; arrive at the airport around 9:00 AM

Navigation will be by RWGPS: A month before our trip, all the routes (24 in total—10 ‘long,’ 10 ‘short,” 3 XL, and 1 for the transfer day) will be posted on a Ride with GPS event for downloading to the app on your phone or to your GPS device. The routes have many cues/turns (an average of 120) so using printed cue sheets/paper maps to navigate is not possible; wayfinding is part of this adventure. Participants will need to have downloaded (at the minimum) the free version of the RWGPS app to receive the voice turn-by-turn directions. RWGPS can be run on a Garmin device and/or a smartphone. 

Weather: May is one of the best months to visit the Netherlands. Daily highs average in the mid 60s and lows average 50 degrees with rainfall averaging 2.2 inches. NL is green and lush for a reason and cool cloudy weather and rain showers can occur—don't forget to bring breathable waterproof rain gear and be prepared for all types of weather to ensure that your trip is enjoyable.

Lodging & Meals & Happy/Social Hours: Stadshotel Woerden and Van Rossum Restaurant in Woerden and Hotel Markstad in Schagen will be our homes during the tour, where breakfast is included every morning and dinner at the hotel restaurant is included three nights that we are in Woerden and on three of our evenings in Schagen for a total of 12 breakfasts and 6 dinners. Two drinks (beer/wine/soda) and light snacks from the hotel bars are also included for our daily happy hour. Lunches will be on your own.

Logistics: Ride participants are encouraged to arrive in Amsterdam/Europe at least one day prior to the start of the tour to be well-rested for our adventure. Those who plan to spend time in Amsterdam or elsewhere in Europe before the trip may take the train to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport on Tuesday, May 4, where we will meet you at Noon (you are responsible for your own travel to Amsterdam) with a charter bus to take us to the hotel in Woerden, about 30 miles south of Amsterdam. On Monday, May 10, we’ll transfer by bus (or you can cycle) about 60 miles north to Schagen and on Sunday, May 16, our bus will leave Schagen at 7:30 a.m. to take us back to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport with an approx. arrival time of 9:00 AM to allow for the possibility for some riders to make a flight that day back to the U.S. Ride participants who plan to spend extra time in the Netherlands/Europe after the trip and don’t want to ride the bus to the airport, can take a train from Schagen to Amsterdam Centraal (or to any other location of their choosing) later in the morning at an additional cost.

Touring bikes and ebikes will be available through Holland Bike Tours. In January 2027, we will email detailed information about the rental bikes to ride participants. We will gather all rental requests and send them to Holland Bike Tours. In March or April 2027. Each participant who is renting a bike will receive a payment link from Holland Bike Tours which can be paid with a credit card. Rental bikes will be delivered to our hotel, transferred to our second hotel, and picked up at the completion of the tour. The touring bikes are high quality recreational touring bikes selected for touring in the Netherlands (they are 7-speed and heavier than you are likely used to). Pedal assist e-bikes with rear-mounted batteries (500W/range of 100KM) are also available and are very popular for this tour given the strong winds in the Netherlands. Please practice riding a pedal-assist e-bike before the tour if you’ve never ridden one and plan to rent one for the tour. Talk with us about the transportation of personal bikes/bike boxes for those who want to bring their own bikes so storage room on the bus is accounted for. If you choose to bring your own bike, it should have 28-32 mm tires. Tandems are not possible on this tour, due to narrow trails, bicycle/pedestrian bridges, and ferries on the routes. Although we will be riding mostly on paved trails, we will also be riding for short periods of time on dirt/sand or crushed rock packed paths, roads and cobblestones. 

Cost & Administration: Cost estimate is $3800 per person (in addition to the non-refundable $150 BAC ride registration fee). Cost includes bus transportation from Amsterdam Schiphol to the first hotel, transfer between hotels, and from the second hotel back to Amsterdam Schiphol; double occupancy for 12 nights; 12 breakfasts; 6 group dinners; two happy hour drinks (beer/wine/soda) and light snacks daily; route maps, GPS tracks and special events. The initial deposit is $1900 and is due upon acceptance on the ride with the final payment of $1900 is due December 1, 2026. The cost is estimated based on $1.25 USD per Euro. Depending on inflation and currency exchange rates, there may be an adjustment in the amount of the final payment. 

Singles & Solos Policy: Single travelers who wish to share a room but who apply for the ride without a roommate will be assisted by the Ride Leader to match other single travelers who apply for the ride. Single travelers will be accepted as space allows and after the minimum number of riders has been reached. After acceptance and receipt of the initial deposit, a single traveler will be given until December 1, 2026, to find a roommate. If he/she is unable to find a roommate, he/she will have the option to receive a full refund (minus the BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fee) or pay the $1600 solo supplement and stay on the ride. If a single traveler pays the solo supplement, he/she may continue to seek a roommate, but must plan to participate without a roommate. Due to the small size of the one of the hotels, we only have space for two solo travelers on this ride. 

The solo supplement payment of $1600 is due by December 1, 2026 and can be paid by Zelle or check. To pay using Zelle: In your bank's website, add Bicycle Adventure Club as a new recipient, with email address treasurer@bicycleadventureclub.org. Initiate a payment. In the Message block, enter the name of your ride. If you have questions, contact Nancy Bohnett nbohnett@bicycleadventureclub.org. Checks should be made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check and mailed to: Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego, CA 92193. 

EU EUROPEAN TRAVEL INFORMATION AND AUTHORIZATION SYSTEM (ETIAS) TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION: The ETIAS process will require short-term travelers to apply online, pay a small fee (€7 – roughly $7.40) and then wait up to 96 hours for applications to be approved. The authorization is good for a three-year period or until the traveler’s passport expires – whichever comes first. ETIAS will not be required for a layover if you remain within the airport's international transit area and do not leave to enter the country itself. For all these programs, airlines will be required to notify passengers of requirements in enough time in advance of their flights to complete the process. BAC will continue to update members about ETIAS. 

Cancellation Policy: The BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fees are not refundable unless the entire tour is canceled because the number of participants registered is less than the minimum established for the tour. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of a cancellation. If the canceling participant is replaced before the tour, a refund will be made at that time. If the canceling participant can't be replaced before the tour, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the canceling roommate may also be liable for the solo supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance. 

Ride Participant Responsibility: Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from the Ride Leader. While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks. Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special requests you might have and respect the Ride Leader’s decisions. 

Health and Safety. Should someone's health become compromised, and the group’s health and safety are placed in jeopardy, the infectious disease plan developed by the Ride Leaders and shared before the tour with all participants will be put into action. The expectation is for the group to work together to mitigate any spread of infection or illness to ensure the tour can continue as planned. 

Insurance: BAC maintains two insurance policies: a) United States, and b) Foreign (all other countries). Both the U.S. and Foreign policies are considered secondary policies to your personal medical insurance policy. They are subject to a $1000 deductible and may not cover all expenses related to an accident. Copies of the current policies are located under the “Docs” tab on the BAC website. 

Before participating in any BAC tour, you should assess whether your medical and travel insurance coverage is sufficient. While touring in the U.S, the BAC insurance includes coverage for injuries due to accidents during the bike trip. Members’ personal insurance will need to cover medical emergencies such as sudden and unexpected illness (i.e. treatment for unexpected illnesses, including Covid, are not covered). 

While touring internationally, i.e., outside of the U.S., BAC maintains Foreign accident insurance to assist with expenses related to accidents, medical emergencies (including sudden and unexpected sickness), and repatriation. Insurance will apply door-to-door for
treatment and travel for a maximum of 90 days overall. Coverage extends to a limited period spanning the published BAC trip dates, allowing for side trips occurring before and after the BAC ride; the limitation period is 7 days before or after the published BAC trip dates. The policy covers the cost of treatment for Covid and other unexpected illnesses, but not quarantine. 

Sign-up: To register for this ride, use the sign-up links just above the Ride Description. After preliminary acceptance, you will be moved to the pending list and receive an email requesting that you go back to the BAC website to digitally accept the terms of the Release of Liability (ROL) and pay the Tour Deposit and the non-refundable BAC Ride Registration Fee by credit card. There is a $150.00 international ride fee. As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List. BAC members with questions may contact the Ride Director by clicking the name at the top of this Ride Description.