Dokkum to Leeuwarden: a ride too short

April 30, 2012

WEATHER: SUNNY! WARM! TAILWIND!

We woke up at 7:30 and looked out our window at a beautiful blue sky and this:

Our first view of the endless street sale from the hotel window in the morning. (Click on photo for more detailed view of items for sale.)

Today is Queen's Day, the official celebration of Queen Beatrix's birthday, and people celebrate with giant sidewalk sales all over the country. Anyone can sell anything, and they do. Orange is the official colour of the Netherlands (dating from the House of Orange), so orange clothes and wigs are much in evidence. By the time we had finished breakfast and set out for a stroll around the very picturesque town, many streets had been blocked off to car traffic, and quilts with motley collections of household goods were spread all over the pavement. Children were running and riding around, and everyone seemed to be in a festive mood.

The sidewalk sale spread throughout the centre of Dokkum. (Click on photo for more detailed view of items for sale.)

The canal near the centre of Dokkum is very scenic.

Our ride to Leeuwarden today would be a short one, so we were not in a hurry to set off. We left Dokkum around 11:00, luxuriating in the balmy, sunny weather with a light tailwind from the north. It couldn't have been more different from yesterday. We rode along the Dokkum river the whole way on lovely bike paths, passing well-kept houses and many bridges over the river that raised up when boats went through. We couldn't resist stopping for lunch on the lovely outdoor terrace of the Posthuis cafe in the riverside community of Burdaard. Yesterday's ride had left a big impression on our minds, and we kept pinching ourselves to make sure we were actually here sitting on a riverside deck in the warm sunshine. What a difference a day can make!

Path along the river as it enters Burdaard, looking back north toward Dokkum.

The pleasant riverside patio of the cafe where we had lunch in Burdaard, and the bike path beyond leading south to Leeuwarden.

Our pleasant and scenic ride continued along the river and through fields, meeting many other cyclists out on this beautiful holiday Monday. People of all ages were riding with their dogs, their babies, their kids and their yard sale shopping spoils. There were four steep and narrow wooden bridges over side canals that required us to walk our loaded bikes, although locals seemed inclined to take a run at them instead.

One of the steep pedestrian/cycle/canine bridges along the route.

The approach through the northern neighbourhoods of Leeuwarden seemed tranquil and woodsy, but as soon as we got close to the centre, we were plunged into crowded Queen's Day madness. Now we were sorry that the day's lovely ride was over, and it really seemed much too short. Leeuwarden is the largest city in Friesland, the capital of the province, and it looked like everyone who couldn't go to Amsterdam was there. We had to walk our bikes for blocks through milling beer-drinking masses past the endless sidewalk sales. The crowd around the entrance to our hotel 't Anker was particularly dense. We checked in at the bar, and it's a credit to the harried and overworked staff that they were soon able to accommodate our bicycles and show us to our surprisingly large and quiet room upstairs at the back of the hotel.

It was a bit of a shock to encounter dense crowds near the centre of Leeuwarden.

After cleaning up we spent some time exploring the old town centre and searching out quieter back streets, but largely in vain. People were streaming about everywhere and loud music was blaring from every possible venue. Dinner was in an overpriced Italian restaurant that seemed quiet at first, until it filled to overflowing with revelers.

Today's ride: 28 km (17 miles)
Total: 538 km (334 miles)

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