Sail and Bike Holland: Frisian Sea
Ship Mare fan Fryslan & Wapen fan Fryslan
During this tour you will explore the open water of the northern part of Holland's famous lake IJsselmeer and the adjacent Frisian Sea by sailing ship. The highlights of the tour are visits to the North Sea islands of Texel, Vlieland and Terschelling and their beautiful natural areas, small villages and long sandy beaches that you can explore by bicycle. The Frisian Islands and the coasts of North-Holland and Friesland are a true "El Dorado" for cyclists.
During these Frisian Sea tours you will travel - depending on the departure date - on board one of the two largest and most luxurious three and two mast schooners sailing on the IJsselmeer, the beautiful Mare fan Fryslân or her sister ship the Wapen fan Fryslân that cater for 28 and 24 passengers respectively.
Ship Mare fan Fryslân:
The Mare fan Fryslân was built in 1960 as a freight ship and was completely renovated in 2006. Since 2007 this classic schooner has been used as a beautiful, almost extravagant, three-mast sailing ship at home on Dutch waters. Facilities: On the lower deck there is an air conditioned saloon lined with wooden panelling that doubles as the ship's restaurant. Next to the saloon you will find the wheelhouse fitted with a bar, music, video equipment and TV - a major feature of this room is the large panoramic window that offers a breathtaking view over the water. On the lower deck there are 12 comfortable 2-bed cabins (floor area of about 10 m2, 2 floor-level single beds 90 x 200 cm), 1 premium twin with a small corner sitting area and a flat screen TV (about 12 m2) as well as a 1-bed cabin with bunk beds (floor area of about 7 m2). In the 2-bed cabins and the junior-suite it is also possible to arrange to have 3 beds - a Pullman bed/fold-down bed. All the cabins have a private shower/WC/sink and ventilation system. The wooden upper deck offers adequate seating, an outdoor bar with draught beer on tap, a grill and even a Jacuzzi. The sails on the schooner can be operated either by hand or electrically. In the harbours there is a Wi-Fi/WLAN connection (free of charge) available throughout the whole ship.
Ship Wapen fan Fryslân:
The 55 metres Wapen fan Fryslân is the largest two-mast schooner sailing on Dutch waterways. In 1965 the schooner was launched as a freight ship that transported all kinds of freight throughout the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. In 2003 the ship was completely transformed into a luxury sailing passenger ship. On board this marvellous five star ship you are guaranteed to revel in the warm and luxurious atmosphere. On deck there is a large pilothouse, an intimate and stylish bar and a seating area. The panoramic windows offer a perfect 360 degree view of the water and the ship. The afterdeck has an outdoor cafe with draught beer on tap, a Jacuzzi and on the middle deck there are various sitting areas where you can enjoy a lovely meal outdoors. The sundeck features deckchairs and offers plenty of seating. The large salon, which doubles as the restaurant, is characterised by its luxurious appearance and flexible furnishing. All 12 spacious cabins (ca. 10 m2) have two separate box spring beds (90×200 m) that can be easily transformed into a double bed. Each cabin has its own shower, toilet, wash basin, a folding bed that can be used as a third bed and a porthole that can be opened.
Tour Details Holland: Frisian Sea | Sailing Ships Mare fan Fryslân & Wapen fan Fryslân
Day 1 (Sat): Embarkation: Enkhuizen
Embarkation and check-in where the crew will welcome you on board is from 4pm near the beautiful centre of Enkhuizen and close to the railway station. After unpacking your luggage in your cabin the skipper will join you for an aperitif before giving you a rundown of what to expect on the journey, details about the ship and also about safety measures to be taken on board. In the evening take a stroll through the historical centre of Enkhuizen, a quaint town that was the home of the Dutch merchant fleet during the Golden Age of The Netherlands. Enjoy your first night on board in Enkhuizen.
Day 2 (Sun): Enkhuizen - Den Oever or Enkhuizen - Medemblik - Den Oever (Approx. 40 km/24 mi.) | Den Oever - Texel
Today your ship sails from Enkhuizen to Den Oever. You can either choose to try out your sea legs for the first time and stay on board as you sail over the Ijsselmeer to your destination for the day. Or, if you prefer, you can cycle the first leg of the trip along the IJsselmeer coast through the beautiful polder landscape via Medemblik to Den Oever. Whatever you choose you will delight in the beauty of the region. Depending on the weather in the evening the ship will sail across the Wadden Sea to the Island of Texel.
Day 3 (Mon): Den Oever - Texel | Texel (Approx. 40km/24 mi.)
The island of Texel is a cyclist's dream destination with its varied scenery, well signposted cycle tracks and picturesque villages. Our suggestion is to complete a round trip cycling tour of the largest of the Dutch North Sea islands on the easy-to-follow Thijsse-route (about 40 km/24 miles) that takes you via a number of villages, the seal sanctuary station of EcoMare and a traditional beer brewery in the harbour of Oudeschild.
Day 4 (Tue): Texel - Terschelling
Today you will enjoy sailing on your ship, when the tide and the weather are right, on the North Sea to the island of Terschelling. As you sail your way through the sandbanks of the Wadden Sea keep a lookout for seals resting on the sandbars. In the afternoon the ship will arrive on Terschelling Island which features a number of picturesque villages situated between the polder and sand dunes along its 30km expanse.
Day 5 (Wed): Terschelling (Approx. 40 km/24 mi.)
While the previous day was all about sailing, today is all about cycling. Terschelling has plenty to offer cycle tourists: nature and culture, 70 km of cycling tracks and 4 beautiful villages. West Terschelling is the largest village on the island and features a number of shops and pubs. The standout landmark on the island is the 400 year-old lighthouse 'Brandaris' which can be seen from well off in the distance. Also worth visiting is the heath land of 'Boschplaat' which will captivate you with its mud, beaches and dunes. You might even spot a number of ducks, black-winged stilts, large colonies of spoonbills and great black-backed gulls. After a day of cycling relax in comfort back on board your ship.
Day 6 (Tue): Terschelling - Vlieland (or alternative Southwest coast of the Province of Friesland)
Today the ship will aim to reach the island of Vlieland, however this is dependent on the weather and the tides. The smallest island to be visited on the tour has just 1100 residents, one village and is car-free, making it an excellent place to explore by bike. The beach is just 100 metres from the harbour and from the highest point of the island, the dune 'Vuurboetsduin, you have a fantastic view over a number of islands, the North Sea and the mudflats. If it is not possible to sail to Vlieland there is an alternative: a sailing trip to the south-western part of the Province of Friesland with a round trip cycling tour.
Day 7 (Fri): Vlieland (or alternative Southwest coat of the Province of Friesland) - sailing back to Enkhuizen
Today you will enjoy another day of sailing as you head back to Enkhuizen.
Day 8 (Sat): Disembarkation: Enkhuizen
Disembarkation after breakfast until 10am: End of your trip. A beautiful journey full of new experiences has come to an end.
All distances are "approximate distances" of recommended bike tours.
When a guest does not want to cycle one day, he or she can skip the bike tour and relax on board while cruising to the next town.
Program and details barring changes, a.o. as a result of nautical, technical or meteorological reasons.
BICYCLES:
The bicycles on board are mostly unisex trekking bicycles with normal mount (ladies model), 7 gears, hand brake and/or pedal brake and pannier bag. Other bikes (e.g. E-Bikes, children's bikes) and child's saddles (front or rear) are only available on these tours after prior request (by booking) and confirmation as there are very limited numbers available. Bike rental is optional. Guests are also allowed to bring their own bicycles (at no extra cost). Please note that the space on board of a sailing ship is limited. However, the crew or tour operator is in no way responsible for any damage, loss or theft of such bicycles. In the Netherlands cyclists are not obligated by law to wear a bike helmet. Bike helmets are not available on board.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The daily bike tours are individual, conducted at your own pace and without a tour guide. There are daily briefings on board and detailed bicycle maps and directions are available. The cycling routes are dependent on the sail program, weather and weather expectation. The sailing routes on the Frisian or Wadden Sea are also depending on the tide and the current. Program changes are therefore barring changes. The General Conditions (travel conditions) of Boat Bike Tours apply to cycling cruises, as well as to confirmation and cancellation of such tours. In principle, children are very welcome on board, however, before booking, we advise you to satisfy yourself that your child is able to manage a cycle trip of ca. 30-55 km. Children's bikes, tandems, parent-child-tandems, slip streamers etc. are available on request. Of course you may stay one or more days on board instead of cycling (children under the age of18 years must be under supervision). Child discount on request. Life jackets for children can be arranged on request: please mention the age, height and weight of your child when you book the tour. The interior of the ship is a non-smoking zone: smoking is only allowed on the sun deck. As a safety measure, a statutory smoking ban applies in all cabins; this means that all cabins and rooms on board are non-smoking areas.
Characteristics:
Operator:
Tourtype:
individual
Children:
yes
Regions:
Frisia, Lake Yssel, North Holland, North Sea, Texel
Countries:
Netherlands
Benefits:
- Tour and accommodation on board in the booked category 8 days/7 nights (Saturday-Saturday) from/to Enkhuizen
- Full board (7x breakfast, 6x picnic lunch during bike tours, 7x three course dinner)
- Use of bed linen and towels (change of towels on request)
- daily short cleaning of the cabin
- Welcoming drink and -speech on the first evening
- Board tour guide by the crew(multilingual) with daily briefings of the bike tours
- Printed instructions and detailed maps for daily individual bike tours
- Daily complimentary coffee and tea till 4 PM
Start date: on request
End date:
Duration:
Price:
Click to order
Startdate
Middate
On request
Additional costs:
- All other costs: on request (bikehire, cabin categories, additional nights, transfers and so on)