Sail & Bike holidays on a sailing ship are something very special. Feel the freedom, the salty wind in your hair and on your face! It’s a bit like explorers of yesteryear must have felt, but with all the conveniences of today. Aboard one of the most comfortable sailing ships, the Mare fan Fryslân or ‘t Wapen fan Fryslân, you will experience pure nature while enjoying water, weather and wind on the vast IJsselmeer and the UNESCO World Heritage Site Wadden Sea. During this Sail & Bike trip, you will explore the area around the beautiful and unique Wadden Sea and some of its islands by bike.
Highlights of this trip are the Wadden Islands of Texel and Terschelling with their beautiful nature, cosy villages and long sandy beaches, where you will make fine cycling trips. On the mainland of Noord-Holland and Friesland, you will also find a true cycling paradise in the rural areas, cosy villages and picturesque harbour towns.
Travel programme:
Day 1: Enkhuizen
Embarkation and check-in. The crew will welcome you aboard the ship, which is moored in the beautiful centre and close to Enkhuizen railway station, from 16:00. After you have put your luggage in your cabin, the skipper will invite you for a welcome drink. Then he or she will tell you approximately what to expect during the trip, details about the ship and also the safety measures on board. In the evening, you can take a stroll through the historic centre of Enkhuizen. This picturesque town was home to the Dutch merchant fleet during the Golden Age. Enjoy your first night on board in Enkhuizen on the western shore of the IJsselmeer.
Day 2: Enkhuizen – Medemblik (24 or 37 km) | sailing Medemblik – Den Oever – Texel
Today you can cycle the first stage of the tour. You will ride along the IJsselmeer coast through the beautiful polder landscape to Medemblik. Afterwards, the ship will sail on to Den Oever. Depending on the weather in the evening, the ship will pass through the lock and sail across the Wadden Sea to Texel.
Day 3: Texel, round trip from/to Oudeschild (43 or 49 km)
Texel is a wonderful place for cyclists, due to its varied landscape, well-signposted cycle paths and picturesque villages. Take a nice tour of this largest of the Dutch Wadden Islands, which should definitely include a visit to some villages, the seal sanctuary ‘Ecomare’ and a traditional beer brewery near the port of Oudeschild.
Day 4: Texel – Terschelling (sailing trip approx. 5 – 6 hours)
If the tide and weather are right, you will sail to Terschelling on the imposing sailing ship. As the ship circumnavigates the sandbanks of the Wadden Sea, you can look for the seals that can regularly be found here. In the afternoon, the ship arrives at Terschelling; a 30 km vast, beautiful island with varied nature. On one side the mud flats, with adjacent polder and on the other side the woods, sand dunes and a huge sandy beach, and in between several cosy villages.
During the cruise, you will enjoy a sumptuous lunch on board. No dinner will be served tonight, so you can explore the island. You can try one of the nice restaurants on Terschelling.
Day 5: round trip Terschelling (cycling distance of your choice) | sailing Terschelling – Harlingen
Where the previous day was all about sailing, today is all about cycling. Terschelling has a lot to offer the cycle tourist: nature and culture, 70 km of cycle paths and 4 beautiful villages. West Terschelling is the largest village on the island and has some nice shops and cafés. The most striking ‘highlight’ of the island is the 400-year-old lighthouse ‘Brandaris’, which can be seen from afar.
Also worth a visit is ‘De Boschplaat’, which will enchant you with its unique nature reserve. Here you will see special ducks, stilts, large colonies of spoonbills and great black-backed gulls. After a fine day of cycling, you can relax in comfort on board. In the afternoon, the ship sails across the Wadden Sea to Harlingen, the main port of the province of Friesland.
Day 6: Harlingen – Franeker – Makkum (48 or 58 km)
Via Franeker, with Eise Eisinga’s famous planetarium, you cycle through the beautiful wide Frisian countryside past several rural villages to the small harbour of Makkum on the eastern shore of the IJsselmeer. If you take the long bike ride, you will also visit Bolsward, one of the Frisian Eleven cities.
Day 7: Makkum – Stavoren (32 or 49 km) | sailing to Enkhuizen
From Makkum, you cycle to Stavoren. The short trip leads you via the old trading town of Hindeloopen, famous for its traditional painting. You will also find the First Frisian Skating Museum here. The long cycle tour passes several Frisian lakes and shows you a unique landscape. At the end of the afternoon, the ship sails from Stavoren across the IJsselmeer back to Enkhuizen.
Day 8: Enkhuizen
End of trip: farewell and disembark, after breakfast until 9.30am.
Good to know:
In between cycling, you’ll sail bits and pieces along with the ship, which goes to a new destination each day. You dine, sleep and have breakfast on board. A packed lunch is provided each day and you can choose between longer and shorter cycling tours. Sailing along for a day is also an option. There are rental bikes on board, but you can also bring your own bike.
Those who wish may have a hand in navigating and hoisting the sails on board – with instructions from the experienced crew. Sailing experience is not required. Of course, you can also just relax and enjoy the sailing and the view from the ship.
Every day, the ship’s crew will discuss the next day’s cycling routes with you and provide you with tips and information about the route. You will cycle the tours independently and at your own pace using a detailed cycling map, GPS directions via the free Ride With GPS app and printed route descriptions (available on board). In case of emergencies or problems, you can call the crew.
A bit of adventure is part of every sailing and cycling trip. The weather is simply out of our control. On the departure and arrival day, the location is always the same, but otherwise the sailing routes depend on wind strength and direction. The skipper determines the best route each day and discusses the possibilities with his guests. The crew makes every effort to have the programme go as much as possible according to plan. However, departure and sailing times may change. Sometimes the order of the programme also has to be changed.
Cabin options:
The double cabins (9 m²) are equipped with two single beds that can be joined upon request. A pullman bed for a third guest can be arranged. The cabins have a private bathroom with shower, toilet and washbasin, ventilation, central heating and portholes that can be opened. Each cabin also has a mini safe. The double cabins can be booked for 2 to 3 people (booking a half cabin is unfortunately not possible).
The junior suite (11 m²) has two single beds, a small sitting area and a flat-screen TV. The cabin has a private bathroom with shower, toilet and basin, ventilation, central heating and portholes that can be opened. The cabin also has a mini safe and a hairdryer. The junior suite can be booked for 2 persons.
The single cabin (6 m²) has a private bathroom with shower, toilet and sink, ventilation, central heating and opening portholes. Each cabin also has a mini safe. As there are only a limited number of single cabins, it is also possible to book a double cabin for single use.
This trip takes place weekly from May to October and always starts and ends on Saturdays. Please contact us if you are interested in another week.
