Fresh air guaranteed – five rides along the Netherlands’ dikes

To start things off in a fun and educational way, did you know that our world-famous Afsluitdijk is not actually a real dike at all, but a dam? According to Rijkswaterstaat, a dike separates water from land and a dam separates water from water.

Two more interesting facts about dikes: the oldest dikes in the Netherlands probably date back to the 11th century and every province has at least one type of dike. This is because there are seawater-retaining, river-water-retaining, and inner-water-retaining dikes. Dams, dikes, whatever you want to call them – they are great!

Cycling along a dike, you are guaranteed wide views and lots of wind. You may end up struggling against the weather or free riding at full-speed with a tailwind all the way. Usually, you’ll experience both as you explore the various meandering dikes in our country.

Rijkswaterstaat defines a dike as follows: '... an elevation which is constructed to protect the land behind it against high water and waves'. As the Netherlands largely lies below sea level, there are dikes everywhere. What a stroke of luck for us cyclists! It means that you are guaranteed fresh air throughout the country. I went looking for five of the best routes along dikes in the Netherlands.

In Nijmegen, close to the German border, I skip the beautiful and hilly hinterland, this time sending you along the River Waal. From Nijmegen, you cycle eastwards towards the Millinger Tea Garden. Be sure to stop there for a while, but check the opening hours in advance. From the Millingerwaard, you cross the Waal on a ferry. Across the river, you ride about 30 km (18.6 miles) to the bridge at Ewijk before finishing back in Nijmegen.

In Zeeland, I leave from Terneuzen which lies to the east along the water. You then ride back to the coast, just past Nieuwvliet, via the quiet inland of Zeeland and a few pretty cobblestone streets. A cycle path along the river takes you back to Terneuzen via Breskens.

In Utrecht province, there is no escaping the Lek and the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal. You set off from Culemborg. At Wijk bij Duurstede, you take a ferry to cross the water before traversing the Lek again a little later via the bridge at Vianen after the Verdronken Bos (beautiful name, right?).
In the north, you go on a beautiful Tour from Leeuwarden through Friesland and Groningen. It’s not an Elfstedentocht (‘Eleven cities tour’), although you do sometimes join the famous skating route. At the Wadden Sea, you ride along the coast in the direction of National Park Lauwersmeer. Finally, you cycle through Dokkum and back to Leeuwarden.

From Enkhuizen, you ride straight through North Holland over the West Frisian Circular Dyke (Omringdijk) which is a nice day out, maybe two if you want to take it easy. The Omringdijk, some 125 km (77 miles) long, was formed over the centuries by connecting several short dikes. This is quite handy for us cyclists.