WEEK 6: Voorhout, Netherlands to East Cowes, UK – 492 miles

Saturday 27th April 2019 Voorhout Day 2

Our last week. We will be home on Tuesday night in our static bed. By the time we are back we will have been out just a day or two shy of 6 weeks. We have enjoyed this trip just as much as our first one. It rained again last night and it’s so cold and very windy today. We decide to stay another day here and once the rain has stopped we will cycle to the beach. It supposed to clear up a bit, but we are not betting on it.

Before we go we have a look at the week old calves and get a fuss of sweet black cat.

The cycle is 7.5 km long to the coastal town of Noordwijk, halfway there it pours down, and we get soaked. We take some shelter and set off once it stops but within minutes it pours down again. Hayley’s hands are turning purple. We are so cold and soaked through and the wind so strong, we are fighting against it on the bikes.

The Dutch are little bit like the Brits, nothing is going to stop them going to the seaside. When we get to Noordwijk it’s busy. It’s Kings Day today so everyone is dressed in something orange, there is a fair on and we grab a delicious fish and chips to warm up before chancing it on the beach.

Bad idea. It’s raining and wind is blowing so hard that the sand hurts your face. It’s so bad the weather. A shame really because in the sunshine it probably looks lovely, then again so would the Port of Grimsby!

We decide to cycle back. It’s stopped raining. We go to the town of Voorhout. There is a fete on for Kings Day. It’s brilliant, everyone is out, there is music on, food and a market. Lovely.

Back at the van, we make tea to warm up and change clothes and try and dry out. It just rains for the rest of the day and night, We do like Holland, the weather has been terrible, but we like it. It’s all very clean and tidy and neat. The villages and towns are very sweet and so far the people have been nice to us. It’s such a shame about the weather. Oh well.

Sunday 28th April 2019 Voorhout to Zerikzee. 71 miles

Yes, it rained all night last night. Miserable. We set off for a little drive to look at the tulip fields, but it’s a little disappointing as they all look like they have been cut back or something. Not what we were hoping for or expected. Thanks to the Keukenhof though, we did get to see some spectacular tulips in full bloom.

We trace our steps back through the Hague, Rotterdam, do the drive over the longest dam ever and head for the island of Zerikzee.

The campsite is brilliant. Plenty of room, very clean and tidy with hens and sheep.

In the showers, there is a little basket of free eggs that you can help yourself to. Now that’s a nice touch.

The town is a short walk. It’s like a mini Amsterdam, very pretty and charming. A nice place to stop and have a beer. The walk back takes us past the local old windmill.

Monday 29th April 2019 Zerikzee, Netherlands to Bruges, Belgium. 66 miles

Before we leave, we have the idea that it would be nice to have breakfast in the town so off we trot only to find that everything is shut… but everything, nothing is open. We need coffee. No matter, back at Jess there is a spot of sunshine where we get a breakfast table out and have boiled eggs, from the local ladies, with coffee. All very nice.

Today we are going to the Belgian town of Bruges. The route is back through the 6.5km tunnel. The toll is less in this direction, we’re considered a smaller class 1 van. With all the rain we have probably shrunk!

It’s cool at the campsite in Bruge. We use our bikes to cycle into town only to discover that we have left the bike lock back at the van. Grrr! Back to the van, get the lock and cycle back. It might be Monday but the town is busy, very busy. We lock the bikes up and set off for a walk.

It’s a nice town, busy, but nice. We find a place offering boat trips through the town so we give it a go. Its a very good way to see the town that has some lovely buildings and very low bridges.

Time for some lunch. We hunt around and find a quirky little place with a huge red hen outside.

Inside we have local beer, mussels and a pile of chips. Smashing. To finish off the culinary experience, we have a Belgian waffle.

A very nice day in a nice town. We cycle back to the van full of food and finally finish with a digestive 30-year-old brandy. Whew! Diet tomorrow…

Tuesday 30th April 2019 Bruges, Belgium to East Cowes, UK. 252 miles

Well, it’s the last morning of our second van trip to Europe. It’s going to be a long day today. We head south on the motorway towards Calais but before boarding we have a final shop to do.

We stop at the Wine Warehouse and fill poor Jess with 90 bottles of wine! Now she is really heavy. An uneventful crossing over the Channel to Dover, back along the M25 towards Portsmouth, where we are able to get on an earlier ferry and back to home.

Another fabulous van trip, and again Jess performed well. She looked after us and we think we looked after her. Soon we are unpacked and Jess is wrapped up, cleaned up, cleared out resting, and ready for the next trip.

Thanks Jess.