Where to stay in Holland.

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

I'm going to go cycling (yes I realise it doesnt have an engine) primarily around Holland, though may drop down through Belgium if I fancy it. I am going here as I dont wish to plan much and beleive both of these countries generally speak English, is this correct?

Does anyone know the rules on camping/bivouac in these countries? ie is it campsites only or can I get away with pitching up anywhere assuming it's out of sight?

Any places I should visit or avoid (particularly in Holland, bearing in mind I dont smoke and have no desire to visit red light districts. I'll be travelling fairly light and probably covering anywhere between 40 and 70 miles a day.

I will have a month's-ish time limit, though I'll just cycle until I get bored or run out of money.

Any help appreciated, thanks.

[D O G]

Cycling in Holland. Nasty.

No hills, but loads of wind, I hate cyling into wind, all the effort of hills but none of the return.

I can't help with anything else, I just thought I'd add that!

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

Cycling is the easy bit.

Will I need to get any health/travel insurance or does the NHS cover it as I'm still within the EU?

[Ste]

You need to get one of those EHIC card things to be covered by the NHS in Europe. But even then it doesn't cover very much so you might want to get health/travel insurance.

Cycling in Holland is very easy and so much better than cycling in this country.

English is widely spoken in Holland.

You can get away with pitching up anywhere assuming it's out of sight and not going to be noticed by anyone (no idea what the law is, but if you're out of sight and not going to be noticed then it doesn't really matter), but there are lots of official campsites around if you want. There are various books/guides with details and maps of their cycle routes and maps of campsite locations which could be a good buy if you're going to be there for a month.

Stick to the smaller towns and the countryside, I've been told there's a lot more to Holland than coffeeshops and red light districts. For a cycling holiday you're probably best to just avoid Amsterdam completely as it's mostly full of tourists, drugs, hookers, trams, tram lines, and other things that will be hassle.

Take a lock with you because bike theft is a fairly big thing in Holland.

[johanek]

Check out Vrienden op de fiets (friends of the bicycle), it is a list of cheap homestays strictly for cyclists and walkers

https://www.vriendenopdefiets.nl/

Amsterdam is the only place with that horrible tacky touristy drug/sex shit, but at least it's restricted to a small area and the other bits are nice.

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

[johanek]