Cycling in The Netherlands is an absolute joy – the motorists respect cyclists, the cycle paths are often away from other traffic and the routes are well marked. In this short video I do my best to encourage you to try a cycling holiday in this wonderful country. Bicycle hire is not expensive and you can find excellent campsites for as little as Euro 18 per night for two or bed and breakfast from as little as Euro 40 per person.
37 Comments
IT WAS DISCOVERED IN BELGIUM
I really loved your video. I am a former "Dutchman" and now a Canadian living in Toronto, Canada. As a child and teenager, I practically lived on my bike. On my recent visits back to the Netherlands, I saw many changes and improvements within the bicycle infrastructure. And I think that they all are very sensible.
I particularly like the fact that most primary bike paths are red. This is something we should do in Toronto to make motorists more aware of where they cannot drive their cars. As I am now not as agile as in my youth, I like to try one of those wonderful electric bikes on my next visit to Holland. Thanks again for posting this informative video.
I like these "outside perspective" videos about my country. Especially when they're positive! 😉 Glad you enjoy it here but please don't be shy to provide us with constructive criticism on how we can become even better!
What a great video, explanation of navigating the map was an eye opener! How simple to get around, we have been thinking of a returning but for a cycling holiday next time in The Netherlands for a while and this has made our minds up, later this year we will be on a boat from Hull…. Anyone suggest the best time to go (or avoid) May to October?
Maybe I could add something about traffic rules in Netherlands…. At many points on a crossing and/or juction, as well as soem roundabouts, you will notice "tri-angled" shaped figers on the path and/or road. We call them "haaietanden" ….in English 'shark-teeth' …..when the tips of the triangles are facing you as you approach the crossing, YOU will have to give way….in 99% of the time that will not be the cyclist, but the motorist that will have to give way to any traffic crossing…..
I hope I helped out a little bit, since my native language is Dutch as well….but thank you for promoting my country as a cycle-friendly nation…be well..
A very well done film about Dutch cycling. What I do want to write here is that something in your video took my intention. I saw the map and I did realise that you were just a short bike ride from where I live. You were in Swalmen and I live in Roermond, which is a city. You have chosen very well. It is a beautiful part of Province Limburg. You notice I'm rather bias. On a few km2 a lot of landscape, culture and history.
Furthermore the German an Belgian border are very nearby.
I want to thank again for your efforts making this film informative and interesting
So helpful, thanks very much
this is briliant my parents live in Stramproy.. they started this route system actually overther now it is in the whole of the netherlands….this is our favorite way of spending our summer. we now also have soemthing similar for walking….Best regards from hollan, Martijn
no my parents did not started it but the network has been builded first in the area were you were byciling and were they live ( the rst of the netherlands was done much later)it also extends into belgium by the way
Looking at our cycling laws from an outside perspective has really given me a new appreciation for it.
I know a belgian dude who comes to our country JUST so he can ride his bike everywhere safely.
Awesome video. Hope you enjoy cycling in our country for many years to come!
Very good film, I'm aiming to cycle in the Netherlands this year, no excuse as Harwich is nearby! If the EU forced the U.K to have a cycling infrastructure like the Dutch I'd vote to stay in Europe.
I like that "fiets", pronounced almost like FEETS, are the name for the bicycle in the Netherlands. <3
We have canal paths that go many miles around Phoenix Arizona. But does not compare to this but has many beautiful things to see. Thanks for the upload.
Really helpful thank you a country I love
This YouTube channel has a lot of detailed info about the Dutch bicycle friendly infrastructure: https://www.youtube.com/user/markenlei
I like to add: cycling in the Dutch mountains: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCEde7izMwY
And the northern part of The Netherlands:Â https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtCQIpnMHXE Â …hear the birds chirping and singing while cycling.
PS
Nostalgia: cycling in The Netherlands in the 50s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HgLqts3qJs Even more cycling than today!
This makes me #happy 🙂
big tip for tourist cyclists, never take the righter way. be sure they give you the righter way. (make eye contact) Graveyards are filled with people that had the righter way
Funny to see those two Euro signs in his eyes at 5:43
Hey there, Fiets should be pronounced as Feets. Just like the ij is pronounced like y (notice how it sorta looks the same, just join the i and j together)
A great video to encourage visitors to the Netherlands. We were in this area in 2016 and used the very routes shown in the video, the ferry and the campsite. We are regular visitors and the video shows why! Benjamin and Valerie
6: 37.That grey car stops because he is (a sort of) turning right and the cyclist are going straight ahead on the same way. Turning traffic yields to traffic continuing straight ahead.
Nice i live near this.i love this:) i love where i live:)
Nice film Peter but I wish you would pronounce the Dutch word 'Fiets' properly; you must say 'Feets' and not 'Fiats'.
Great footage. You even make me come from North Brabant to Limburg to cycle
I believe there are about twice as many bikes as people in our country. Everyone has one, some obviously more than one. The one you use daily, some for excercise/fun/off-roading. And the entire infrastructure is mostly "bikes first".
The cities have streets that are too narrow, no parking spaces, so bikes are just more useful. Also basically every road has a safe seperate from traffic bikelane..
It can be a bit annoying during winter, (and basically the rest of the year randomly) with snow, rain, wind, but you get used to it. Kids get bikes at about 2 or 3, just about the time they start to walk decently. Then around 4 or 5 you lose the training wheels. And at about 6 you bike to school with your parents.
In high school you even have to take a biking exam, just like you do at 18 for your car.
i would love to cycle their i need to learn some dutch , do you speak fluent or can i get by with small ammount of phrases and how expensive is it to camp? can i wild camp?
you have mesmerizing pointing skills my dude.
….. And we always keep on the right side of the roads….. In The Netherlands we're done with swords… for about two hundred years ago…. no need…. So? When are you islanders?
You make me want to visit! I love to ride and would enjoy it more in a bicycle friendly atmosphere!
Love cycling in the Netherlands. Great country, great people.
You can tell the tourists they wear a helmet and hi-viz yellow jackets.
As an ex-pat in t'Netherlands I can testify how excellent, and convenient, cycling is: the only time I drive now is to pick up visitors! It is soooo much better than grim SE England….. I'm loving it.
Just like flying an airplane by Way – Points …. follow the list of numbers ….
Thank you for visiting our little part of heaven, Limburg!
Very educating. Thx a million.
But…. beware of the very unpredictable weather!! You may have four seasons in one day and like in England, it is gloomy and wet sometimes for days at an end. And especially for cyclists, there is a lot of wind, especially near open water like the sea, or the IJsselmeer, why do you think those windmills were built?