after our hugely successful trip to France last year, we’re thinking of heading to the Netherlands for a week of bimbling about on bikes, looking at windmills, eating cheese, etc.

does anyone have any recommendations for a town to base ourselves, that’ll put us in easy striking pootling distance of other places.

(probably taking the hull-rotterdam ferry, so proximity to R’dam will be a consideration, but not a deal-breaker)

It’s not near Rotterdam, but there’s plenty of pleasant pootley cycling in and around the Hooge Veluwe national park.

(googles)

Apeldoorn is a good town to stay in. It has a picturesque centre, good hotels and easy access to the Veluwe (which is beautiful) and also to Arnem, Harderwijke and Oldebroek which are all worth visiting

My inlaws live just north in Zwolle so any info you need just PM me

this is all good stuff, ta!

BTW probably best not to google Apeldoorn with safety turned off – you get some pretty disturbing images of a car attack on the Dutch royals in 2009 that killed 8 bystanders.

Stayed near Apeldoorn (actually closer to Voorthuizen) on the way back from the Alps last year and the missus enjoyed the relaxed cycling there so much we are stopping in Holland again on the way back this year (close to Venlo this time).

Delft is a nice place, like Bruges in places with canals in the centre but smaller. Close to the coast as well if that’s important.I’ve stayed there a couple of times with the caravan and really enjoyed it. Bit more of a trek if you want to see Amsterdam or Vollendam but not ridiculously so.

I would LOVE to go cycling in Holland. Great country, great people.