Team Triplet

Dee Family Tour of the Netherlands 2004 - 4

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1: Harwich to Maastricht 2: Rides around Limburg 3: Venlo to Schaijk 4: Winterswijk
5: Lochem and Urgchelen 6: Kootwijk to Amersfoort 7: Last days at De Haan 8: Miscellaneous

After Schaijk we rode to Oss and got the train from there to Arnhem, where we had to change trains.  At Arnhem we had to change platforms via the footbridge which was not easy and then a long walk to the opposite end, to get a little 2 car DMU to Winterswijk.  This is an example of one of the DMUs stabled at Winterswijk.  Ceri thought the inside was like tram.  As we were a bit flustered by the crowds who got on to the train - I failed to recognise where the bike stowage area was, and started to secure the tandem in an upright position.  As it turned out the unit had tip up seats and was the best train for the carriage of tandems

İStephen Dee

30 July 2004 ID P7307952 

From Winterswijk station we cycled to the NTKC's Het Masterveld site to the east of the town near the German border.  Again this is a wooded site with nice clearings to camp in.

İStephen Dee

30 July 2004 ID P7307981
The toilet block at The NTKC Het Masterveld site near Winterswijk.

İStephen Dee

30 July 2004 ID P7307982

The toilet block had nice pictograms to indicate the ladies and gents toilets.

İStephen Dee

30 July 2004 ID P7307984 (L)

30 July 2004 ID P7307985 (R)

 

 
In addition to a chalk board for information, most NTKC sites also have a notice board on the toilet block.  This is the notice board at the NTKC Het Masterveld site.  Note the warning in the top right hand corner about ticks.  We were plagued by them!

İStephen Dee

31 July 2004 ID P73178030  
In common with most NTKC site there is a camp fire circle at the NTKC Het Masterveld site.  However you are not allowed a campfire due to the woodland and the site being a nature conservation area.  You are allowed to barbeque, and there is a barbeque provided - bring your own fuel.  Ceri and Melissa soon found the "Flintstone car"!

İStephen Dee

31 July 2004 ID P73178022

 

The NTKC sites are run by the members for the members.  The first person on site becomes "Kampmeester", indicated by a special pennon - black K on yellow background.  The Kampmeester will collect sites fees sometime during the day at a time known as "melden", these times are normally chalked up on the notice boards.  At melden the kampmeester arranges a table and chairs for the campers to sit and register. Here the Kampmeester at Het Masterveld is registering a camper whilst others stand and wait.  This is normally treated as an important social occasion.

Note the caravan - this is as about as large they get on NTKC sites - and to take a caravan on to a NTKC site there are both size and age/length of membership restrictions.

İStephen Dee

31 July 2004 ID P73178026  

The Kampmeester will collect sites fees sometime during the day at a time known as "melden", these times are normally chalked up on the notice boards. 

İStephen Dee

31 July 2004 ID P73178029

 

 

Winterswijk is very close to the border with Germany.  The largest German town of note nearby is Borken, where 3M used to have a plant and I used to have dealing with colleagues there.  I had hoped to ride there on the Saturday.  In the end we did a shorter cross border ride to Südlohn, Weseke and Burlo.  Both border crossings that day were along tracks and not a road.  This a cycle sign post in Germany about a Km from the border.

İStephen Dee

31 July 2004 ID P73177998

 
 

Ceri and Melissa sitting astride the Dutch German border.  The Netherlands are to the left.  Just to the right out of shot was a shelter which seems to be common on German walking/cycling routes. 

İStephen Dee

31 July 2004 ID P73178000  
A very common feature about Dutch cycles is the elastic strap on the rear carrier.  Whilst in Winterswijk we brought and fitted one to Brünnhilde.  They are almost an exclusively Dutch feature.  We stopped at a supermarket in Weseke, just across the border in Germany, and there were as many bikes as outside a Dutch supermarket, but none of the cycles had the elastic on their carriers!

İStephen Dee

31 July 2004 ID P73178009  
Whilst in Südlohn the girls brought scoobidou kits.  They were hooked.  Here they are in typical cousin fashion sharing a "bath" together, but being more concerned with practising their new skills.  First one foot..........

İStephen Dee

31 July 2004 ID P73178016

..........then you swap sides and do the other foot!

İStephen Dee

31 July 2004 ID P73178017
On the Sunday when we left Winterswijk and headed to Lochem.  Since the German border was on route, we took a route that crossed back into Germany before heading west through Achterhoek to Lochem.  This is Ceri posing on the track we crossed from the Netherlands in to Germany.  This is typical of the sort of border crossings we have always done between the two countries until our return back into the Netherlands.

İStephen Dee

1 Aug 2004 ID P8018032

 
Prior to our return back to The Netherlands, we had lunch by the church at Zwillbrock.

İStephen Dee

1 Aug 2004 ID P8018041

 
Despite having done three cycle tour trips which have involved many border crossings between the Netherlands and Germany - this is our very first border crossing associated with a road!

İStephen Dee

1 Aug 2004 ID P8018042

 

 

In the Netherlands, the ANWB is the Dutch equivalent of the AA and RAC.  However they had their roots in cycling and they have not forgotten that.  The ANWB in addition to providing signposts for roads - distinctive blue and white, they have provided the Netherlands with a wonderful network of "paddestoel" or "mushrooms".  These and the road signs are numbered, and the maps that they produce also have the numbers on the maps.  So armed with a ANWB map there is no excuse for getting lost. 

L: Here is a mushroom,21134, that also shows a long distance cycle route  "Landelijke Fietsroute" (LF).

İStephen Dee

1 Aug  2004 ID P8018049

R In some areas Mushrooms have been scarce, and ANWB is putting down new ones, but they are red in colour.  Traditionalists do not like the new ones!

İStephen Dee

1 Aug  2004 ID P8018050

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