The Finish
Netherlands (Friesland): Stage 18 Dordrecht to Hook 52 Km (Sun 30 July 2023)
Weather: 16⁰C min – 21⁰C max, overcast, 40 kph headwind
It’s better to look back on life and say “I can’t believe I did that” than to look back and say “I wish I had done that”.
It’s only 52 km to the Hook of Holland and I can’t board the ferry there until 8 pm, so I was looking forward to a nice leisurely ride today. Fortunately I didn’t have to check out of my lovely apartment in Dordtrecht until 11:30 am, which meant I could take my time over breakfast and Whatsapp my family in Sydney.
The ride was uneventful until I stopped for lunch at a cafe in Barendrecht. I lingered there for more than hour watching the Ashes cricket on my phone.
Just as well I decided to move on when I did because there was a 40 km headwind for the rest of the ride. It was much slower going than I had anticipated.
The highlight of the ride was the amazing Benelux-fietstunnel. At least it meant I was protected from the wind for a while!
Finally I managed to make it to the Hook, where I had time for a bite to eat before riding a couple of km back to the ferry.
Hoek van Holland is a town located in the western part of the Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. It is situated on the North Sea coast, at the mouth of the New Waterway shipping canal that connects the port of Rotterdam to the sea. Hoek van Holland is known for its beach dunes, lighthouse, and ferry connections to the United Kingdom. The town has a population of around 10,000 people and is part of the municipality of Rotterdam.
For me it marks the end of a great tour. I catch the overnight ferry from there to Harwich UK then the train back to London tomorrow morning. Oh well, all good things must come to an end.
Congratulations on another tour completed – thanks for the blog and the fantastic photos along the way.
Thanks Sophie. And thanks for all your support and encouragement along the way.