From Brussels to Hamburg via Amsterdam.
It's already been 17 days since Camille and Quentin, have started their journey by bike towards the Far North! Remember, this couple of passionate cyclists set themselves a major challenge: to cross 9 countries for more than five months, over more than 10 km. All equipped with clothing Ozio ! We have been following them since the first day of their journey. Find here our article over the first two weeks, from Annecy to Brussels.
The departure of Brussels, on the 17th day of the trip, is done with the sun… and a smile! The exit from the city is ideal and quick (30 minutes!) thanks to good cycling facilities. The kilometers follow each other easily with small gravel portions in the woods. Camille and Quentin fell in love with the city of Ghent. They end their daily itinerary at Beernem. The next day, they follow a canal to reach the beautiful city of Bruges. Ten kilometers further, they join the Lock (Sluis). Lo and behold, a new frontier has been crossed! The Netherlands already offer magnificent landscapes. A ferry helps them reach their next stop.
When it comes to the weather, things get a little complicated! Wind, clouds, rain, cold with almost winter temperatures... Camille and Quentin are sometimes very happy to find their hosts in the evening. WarmShower. This online community makes it possible to find accommodation between cyclists. On the way to The Hague, they see the famous emblematic mills of the Netherlands. The next day, direction Amsterdam, with the crossing of magnificent picturesque and colorful tulip fields. By preparing their route on Komoot, Quentin has selected all the tulip fields: none will escape them! The course in the capital, Amsterdam, is laborious, they will have to face both the crowd and the rain. Fortunately, the jackets OZIO helps them brave the elements.
Departure from Amsterdam: Camille and Quentin follow small canals and even greet a few sheep. They visit the really cute Marken peninsula with the wind at their back. The crossing of Monnickendam will also mark them. Big surprise before arriving in Volendam: a vast field of tulips with a beautiful mill and hardly anyone around. Then, direction Edam! On the program: tasting of tasty cheese from Henri Willig. They will weigh down the bag by a few grams. A little comfort, because the weather is awful and cold!
The 24th day marks the passage of 2000 kms! It starts with a contrasting weather report: cold, rain, sun, wind, showers, and even hail three times! Camille and Quentin cross the countryside and the forest, heading for a new country, Germany!
The Germanic part of the route continues with the crossing of two cities, Oldenburg and Bremen. Today's WarmShower will be a little special, with a night in a trailer! The next day, direction Hamburg: the Far North is getting closer and closer! The route includes several gravel paths, with less pleasant portions, on the side of the road: they must always run on a strip or cycle path, but the view is not always incredible. And already they catch a glimpse of Hamburg's iconic beautiful red brick buildings. Visit of the superb town hall, the port, the fish market… A traveling companion, Axel, joins the couple for a few days, the opportunity to ride for three!
Summary of the last two weeks:
Here is their itinerary, day by day:
Brussels ➡️ Beernem ~ 113km/500D+
Beernem ➡️ Burgh-Haamstede ~ 116km/450 D+ (+6km ferry)
Burgh-Haamstede ➡️ Poortugaal ~ 85km/300D+
Poortugal ➡️ Den Haag ~ 82km/200D+
Den Haag ➡️ Amsterdam ~ 82km/200D+
Amsterdam ➡️ Edam ~ 54km/100 D+
Edam ➡️ Lelystad ~ 88km/170D+
Lelystad ➡️ Assen ~ 113km, 270D+
Assen ➡️ Bad-Zwischenahn ~ 138km/200D+
Bad-Zwischenahn ➡️ Fischerhude ~ 96km/190D+
Fischerhude ➡️ Hamburg ~ 117km/580D+
In total, 1084 km in 3 countries, and already 2380 traveled in total! Find Camille and Quentin in pictures, on their instagram @pressthepedal or https://appuiesurlapedale.fr/ to discover everything about their journey!
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