DUTCH ISLAND HOPPING
EXPLORE THE DIVERSE WADDEN ISLANDS
DUTCH ISLAND HOPPING - SELF GUIDED CYCLING TOUR
SUMMARY
Created by the meeting of two oceans, the mud flats and vast sandy beaches of the
Wadden Islands (a UNESCO world heritage site), offer a flat and diverse backdrop to
your Dutch cycling adventure.
Your trip begins in Leeuwarden, home of De Oldehove tower (which leans even more than the
leaning tower of Pisa), before quickly heading to your first stop on the one village island of
Vlieland. As only locals are permitted to drive on Vlieland, peaceful and virtually traffic free
cycling awaits you. Cycle paths paved with crushed sea shells lead you through pine tree
woods, yellow sand flats, windswept dunes and alongside wide sandy beaches. Pine trees
were planted at the beginning of the 20th century to soak up the rain water, dehydrating the
ground and preventing the island from drifting away!
Being a breeding area to over 12 million birds and also home to seal colonies, the Wadden
Islands are a wildlife enthusiasts dream. The second island on the itinerary, Terschelling,
boasts 70km of cycle tracks and provides ample opportunity to explore the windswept polders
of this remote part of the Netherlands. Due to a lack of timber on the island most farms and
barns are made from masts from the many shipwrecks surrounding the shores. At the end of a
hard days cycling reward yourself in one of the many restaurants and cafés in the village of
West-Terschelling and delight your taste buds with locally produced fresh and fruity cranberry
wine!
This popular trip allows you to witness the resourcefulness and island lifestyle combined with
wonderful and peaceful cycling across the unique phenomenon which is the Wadden Islands.
Macs adventure offer a 6 night itinerary which includes overnight accommodation staying at
3/4* hotels on bed and breakfast basis, the three ferry trips, door to door bag transfers, a
detailed info pack, route notes and a map for the group leader.
HIGHLIGHTS





Relaxed cycling on flat roads and cycle paths paved with crushed shells
Exploring the Wadden Islands, a unique UNESCO World Heritage Site
Excellent bird watching opportunities
Pedalling past the mud and sand flats
After a long days cycling savouring some local cranberry wine
WHY CHOOSE A SELF GUIDED WALKING HOLIDAY WITH US?
Tour: Dutch Island Hopping
Code: CHSDIH
Type: Self-Guided Cycling Holiday
Price: See Website
Dates: April – Beginning October
Nights: 6
Days: 7
Cycling Days: 5
Start: Leeuwarden
Finish: Leeuwarden
Distance: 140km (miles)
Grade: Easy to Moderate
IS IT FOR ME?
Visiting the unique Wadden Islands allows
you to witness its vast yellow sand flats and
vast array of wildlife while enjoying the warm
hospitality and incredible resourcefulness of
the islanders. This is a gentle cycling trip
which still allows you to indulge your adventurous side.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
Accommodation: 6 Nights accommodation in 3/4* hotels.
Meals: 6 Breakfasts . Dinner is not included but can be added as an option
Baggage Transfer: Door-to-door baggage
transfer.
Bike Hire: Not included but we can arrange this for your cycling holiday and is an
option on the booking form.
Information Pack: Comprehensive route
directions, information pack and maps.
DUTCH ISLAND HOPPING
EXPLORE THE DIVERSE WADDEN ISLANDS
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Day
Route
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Arrive in Leeuwarden
Cycle to Vlieland: 42 km
Cycle round Vlieland: 20 km
Cycle to Terschelling: 5 km
Cycle round Terschelling : 30 km
Cycle to Leeuwarden: 47 km
Onward Travel
resting place for sunbathing seals. In this
conservation area biodiversity is very rich.
Vlieland is the most pristine of the Wadden
Islands, populated by just one village. Only the
locals are permitted to drive on this island
dominated by lovely woods, yellow sand flats,
windswept dunes and wide beaches. You could
not wish for a better cycling destination!
Day 3
Cycle round Vlieland - 20km/12m
Day 1
Arrival in Leeuwarden
Today is the first of seven unforgettable days.
You will journey to Leeuwarden (“Ljouwert” in
Frisian dialect), capital of the northern province
of Friesland. Once you have left your luggage in
your room, go for a stroll through this proud city.
Many of the streets slope slightly which is
because the city was built on three manmade
dwelling mounds in the Middle Ages. The city is
loved for its successful mixture of contemporary
architecture and numerous historical sights.
Don’t miss De Oldehove, this unfinished leaning
tower has dominated the skyline for centuries
and is in use as a belvedere.
Day 2
Cycle to Vlieland - 42km/26m
On route to Harlingen you will encounter unspoilt
countryside and fascinating traces of history in “It
Terpelân” (the land of terps – manmade dwelling
mounds). The conviviality of town will give way to
endless meadows and villages. Make a stop at
lovely Poptaslot country house and go back in
time in the charming town of Franeker. At the
picturesque harbour town of Harlingen, you will
catch the ferry to the isle of Vlieland and a
different world. The Wadden Sea is an intertidal
area so at low tide vast mudflats emerge
providing vital foraging grounds for waders and a
Pull on your walking boots or hop back on your
bike and get moving. Quiet and peaceful Vlieland
is the most remote of all the Wadden Islands.
Go to De Noordwester Information Centre for
everything you want to know about the island
and Wadden Sea. This is also where you can
book one of the numerous 1.5 hour excursions
led by nature guides (it is advisable to contact
the centre beforehand). In the village, the long,
tree-lined high street offers shops, restaurants,
cafes and contagiously happy holidaymakers.
Day 4
Cycle to Terschelling - 5km/3m
Catch a ferry to the isle of Terschelling (Skylge,
in Frisian dialect), the largest of the five Wadden
Islands and home to 4700 islanders. In a string of
villages stretching west to east you’ll find many
opportunities to interact with the island culture:
visit one of seven museums or wander round the
lovely houses with characteristic facades, old
churches and Brandaris Lighthouse. The largest
village, West-Terschelling, is abuzz with people
visiting restaurants and cafes.
Day 5
Cycle round Terschelling 30km/19m
Terschelling has seven habitats: the North Sea,
wide beaches, young dunes, gray older dunes,
birch woods, open polder and finally, beyond the
Wadden dike, the Dutch Shallows with mudflats
teeming with life at low tide. Dune biotopes are
especially exciting because of their everchanging nature under the influence of wind and
water: the landscape is transforming under our
very noses. Trek over to see a wet dune valley or
the salt marshes of Boschplaat nature reserve in
the east. The island has many good quality bike
tracks.
Shoppers will enjoy the villages of West
Terschelling and Midsland where you’ll find a
pleasant array of boutiques and shops including
some selling local produce such as sheep’s
cheese, cranberry wine and sallowthorn jam.
Day 6
Cycle to Leeuwarden - 47km/29m
Catch the ferry back to mainland Friesland and
take a slightly different route back to the city of
Leeuwarden. Pass through villages with Frisian
names that sound weird to regular Dutch ears,
such as Arum, Achlum, Herbaijum and Deinum.
Once again you can make a halfway stop at
lovely Franeker before ending the day back in
Leeuwarden.
Day 7
Onward Travel
Today your cycling holiday comes to an end. But
not before you have enjoyed another big hearty
breakfast at your hotel. After breakfast, it’s time
to go home.
DUTCH ISLAND HOPPING
EXPLORE THE DIVERSE WADDEN ISLANDS
HOLIDAY INFORMATION
TRAVEL INFORMATION
Sensitive & Sustainable
Additional Nights and Extensions
Getting to/from Leeuwarden
You can add additional nights at any point
before, during or after your tour.
By Train
Macs Adventure has worked hard to ensure that
our holidays are sensitive to the community you
are visiting and sustainable over the long term.
Accommodation
The Dutch Island Hopping Tour includes 6 nights
in carefully selected hotels of 3/4 star standard.
Single Rooms
Leeuwarden can be reached via a direct 2.5 hour
train from Amsterdam. The train leaves every 30
minutes. Please see NS trains for availability and
booking.
Amsterdam By Air
Single rooms are available although a
supplement is payable.
Amsterdam Schiphol airport is served by direct
flights from most major UK and European
airports.
Solo Cyclists
Amsterdam By Train
This trip is available with a solo supplement
Amsterdam is linked with London, either via Paris
or Brussels (around 5 hours) by high speed train.
Visit Rail Europe for prices and booking.
Grade
This cycle tour is graded easy to moderate. The
five cycling days vary from 5 - 42 km in length.
Travel Insurance
Navigation
Adequate travel insurance is a pre-requisite on
all bookings
We supply you with detailed route descriptions
and maps as well as tourist information on all the
places of interest.
M.A.C.S RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL
Baggage Transfer
Minimise Impact & Maximise Benefit
Daily door to door baggage transfer is included in
the price of your trip. We ask you to keep your
baggage to a maximum of 1 bag per person
(maximum weight 20kg).
Our operating policies, office policies, holidays
and tours are all designed to minimise impact
and maximise benefit to the environment and
local communities.
Rental Bikes
Action & Advocacy
Bike hire is not included though may be booked
as an option.
We believe that by engaging our team and
clients in environmental and community projects
we can make a real difference.
Helmets are not included as part of the optional
rental package and we ask that you bring your
own.
Carbon & Communities
Travel and our business activity does of course
contribute to carbon output and climate change.
We have put several policies in place to minimise
our carbon footprint.
PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
Availability
This cycling holiday is best enjoyed between
April and the beginning of September. The tour is
available to start on Saturday’s, Sunday’s or
Monday’s. (This is due to the fact that the boats
to the islands only run on 3 days per week.)
Included:



6 nights in 3/4* hotels


Boat transfers
6 Breakfasts
Daily luggage transport (1 bag per person/
max. 20 kg)
Detailed information pack with route notes,
maps and useful information.
 7 Day service hotline
Excluded:
 Drinks, snacks and lunches and dinners
 Travel to /from Leeuwarden
 Bike hire - May be booked as an option
 Personal equipment
 Travel insurance - Adequate travel insurance
is a prerequisite on all bookings.
 Entrance fees to museums and attractions
Optional




Additional nights accommodation
Single room supplement (if applicable)
Bike hire
Pre-book evening meals
DUTCH ISLAND HOPPING
EXPLORE THE DIVERSE WADDEN ISLANDS
HOW TO BOOK
Once you have read all the information in this
factsheet or on our website and decided on your
preferred itinerary, visit our website or give us a
call to confirm availability. You can then book by
any of the following methods:
Book Securely Online: www.macsadventure.com
Telephone: +44 (0) 141 530 8886
Fax/Post: Download or request a booking form
and post it to Macs Adventure, 44 Speirs Wharf,
Glasgow, G4 9TH, UK or fax it to +44 (0) 845
527 5688
Please don’t hesitate to contact us by phone on
+44 (0) 0141 530 8886 or email:
[email protected] if you have any
queries and one of our expert customer service
team will be happy to help.
BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE
Financial Security
In order to provide clients with peace of mind
Macs Adventure Ltd has effected a policy with
IGI Insurance Company Ltd through travel
insurance specialists Milsom Howard Limited to
ensure that all passengers booking with Macs
Adventure Limited are fully protected for the
initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all
monies paid to Macs Adventure Ltd, arising from
cancellation or curtailment of your travel
arrangements due to the insolvency of Macs
Adventure Limited.
ABTA Member Statement
Macs Adventure Holidays is a Member of ABTA.
ABTA and ABTA Members
help holidaymakers to get the
most from their travel and
assist when things don’t go
according to plan. We are
obliged to maintain a high standard of service to
you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. For more
information on ABTA, the Code of Conduct and
the arbitration scheme available to you if you
have a complaint, contact ABTA, 30 Park Street,
London SE1 9EQ, tel 020 3117 0581
www.abta.com