Antwerpen - Helsinki (Part I Going to Nordkapp)

From Antwerp to Venhorst 140 km

Winter is coming. The last 2 months have been cold and wet. I was anxious to leave and waited for a good weather window it lasted 3 hours then the first drops of water fell as I was cycling along the canal  Schoten - Turnhout. A great cycle path along a narrow canal surprisingly used by big barges with a few cafés along but they were all closed when I needed them. Turnout is a small city but quite pleasant with its little harbour. I kept following the canal for an other hour then took the N 284 to The Netherlands in the direction of Lemel, the ride was pleasant but as soon as you approach Eindhoven it becomes quite industrial. I decided to go around the city of Phillips (been there before and wasn't impressed) I passed a military airport and followed Lieshout then following farmers roads and potato fields I reached Venhorst I stayed in a camping in a farm with all facilities, on top of that I was the only customer. However it stormed from 9pm to 5am and I have been frequently awaked by the thunderstorm. Price for a biker 12 euros

To Turnhout

Court of Justice Turnhout

Venhorst to Hengelo 134 km

After yesterday's ride wich was very flat, I was happy to feel some variation of altitude, not tremendous though, this is the Netherlands. My first stop was in Gennep a Dutch village then I went to Kleve in Germany, I passed an impressive Commonwealth cemetary a remembrance of the 2nd World War. Kleve is a big city ordinary german, nothing caught my eye. After a couple of hours I crossed the Dutch border again and reached 'S Heerenberg were I had lunch. Interesting village with a beautifull castle and it claims to have the oldest garden of The Netherlands. The cycle path brought me to a lake near Doetinchem but it was too cold for a swim.I reached Hengelo and the Hampshire hotel were Irene joined me for 2 days. Hengelo is not a remarkable city but we were lucky to be there for the Street art festival. We went to Enschede (10' by train) and visited the Rijksmuseum of Twente where they had a Gainsborough display.

Potato

Gennep

The results of the Grunewald battle

Hengelo - Hannekenfärh 68 km

An other canal almost abandonned but great to cycle along, thriving with life and a few historical beacon like the dropping weapon area of Denekamp during WW2 from there the weapons were distributed in Twente by the Dutch resistance, you can also visit a small water lock to release the water of the canal in a river with a nice instructive movie. In Nordhorn I followed an other canal Ems - Vechte, very nice ride on dirt roads along a military base wich is also a nature reserve, to Hannekenfärh where I found a camping the heaven of mobilhomes and Dwarfs but they had 100 square meters reserved for tents. I called a grumpy old man wich didn't want to open the gate for me as I was interrupting him during the qualifying match to the quarter final (Germany won). Price 6 euros including a 8 minutes hot shower. 

Street art festival in Hengelo

Almelo Nordhorn canal

Dropping site monument

Hannekenfärh - Cloppenburg 100 km

I kept following the canal to Lingen where I had breakfast. Nothing special in Lingen. Actually nothing special today, I rode through farm lands potato, corn fields, grain of some sort avoiding the road 213 to Haselünne then to Cloppenburg adding 30 km to the distance. Ride was quite flat unfortunately the rivers are over flooding in some parts and a storm chased me from 4 to 6 pm I still had an other 15 km to ride for a camping wich might be as flooded as the road I was riding I was socking wet so I gave up and found a hotel the Diekgerdes for 55 euros a night incl. breakfast.

Rainy day again

Oooops !

An other Black forest

Cloppenburg - Zeven 128 km

Sunny morning at least until 1pm. Not much to do in or see in Cloppenburg I left in the morning and followed the 213 to Wildeshausen traffic wasn't too heavy and the cycle path next to the 213 was good. The city has some charms with a small historical center after all it is the capital of the Oldenburg district in Lower Saxony. After a well deserved coffee I went to Bremen passing Harpstedt and Heiligenrode (nice village). The south arrival to Bremen was nice along a few rivers, I followed the official cycle path. Bremen is an interesting city with a medieval feel. Leaving Bremen from the north was a bit difficult though and not as nice as the south. I arrived late in Zeven, nothing much except a monastary and a nice camping. 10 euros.

Zeven - Itzstedt 125 km

Took the road to Heeslingen then Buxtehude. After Buxtehude, the road along the river Este is very nice with a new kind of architecture, the hamburger style may be. I enjoyed the ride to Moorender passing the cherry trees fields. Unfortunately after Moorende it takes 2 hours to pass the harbor from the south and that is not nice at all. Lots of traffic and building around it looks like they are rebuilding the port, new bridge and infrastructured made me lost the way. I would have known I would have taken a train to avoid the port of Hamburg. Hamburg is a big city and not extremely bike friendly despite the cycle path. It is designed for cars in a hurry, lots of honking. It is worth spending time in Hamburg though. The North ride to go to Itzstedt was nice, big cycle path.

Itzstedt - Travemunde 70 km

After a few kilometers I reached Lübeck, one of the highlight of this trip so far. I really enjoyed this city. I chatted with some people in the street and they seemed more relaxed than in Hamburg. Lübeck is a Hanse city. They have a nice Globetrotter shop where I bought some gaz and camping food. I then followed the cycle path to Travemunde wich is also a pleasant harbour city. To walk on the beach though you have to pay a tax...

Travemunde - Helsinki 29 hours on the ferry