Itinerary

Sailing and cycling in Holland: North Sea Islands

8 days / 7 nights | Ship Mare and Wapen fan Fryslan | Frisian Sea and island hopping

Sailing tours are something special. Feel the freedom and the wind and salt on your skin! It's a bit like discovering the seas as an explorer. Aboard the MARE FAN FRYSLÂN and the WAPEN FAN FRYSLÂN, the most luxurious sailing ships of the IJsselmeer and Wadden Sea, you can enjoy the pure nature and enjoy water, sun and a stiff breeze.There is a natural area along the coast of the North Sea which is unique throughout the whole world – the mudflats of the Frisian Sea. A world with two faces – sand and water dominate during the changeover from low to high tide. Smaller and larger islands lined up like pearls on a chain protect the shoals of the mudflats. This is a place where you can experience pure nature: the sea, the wind and the sun. You can look forward to a nice adventurous tour with a variety of activities and experiences. Where are you waiting for ? Cast off !

Day 1 (Sat): Arrival and embarkation in Enkhuizen

Individual arrival and embarkation from 4 pm near the beautiful centre of Enkhuizen and close to the railway station. The skipper will join you for an aperitif is and explain many things worth knowing about the journey, the ship and also about safety measures to be taken onboard. In the evening you can stroll through the historical centre of Enkhuizen and spend the night onboard in Enkhuizen.

Day 2 (Sun): Enkhuizen – Medemblik – Den Oever bike tour (Cycling 40 km / 24 miles)

Today the ship sails from Enkhuizen to Den Oever. You can stay on board and sail over the IJsselmeer or you can grab a bike and start your first cycling tour along the IJsselmeer coast through the beautiful polder-landscape via Medemblik up to Den Oever with its fishing harbour. Depending on the weather in the evening the ship will sail across the Wadden Sea to the Island of Texel.

Day 3 (Mo): Texel – round tour from Oudeschild (Cycling 1–65 km / 1–40 miles)

The island of Texel has a varied scenery and picturesque villages. A roundtrip cycling tour on the largest of the Dutch North Sea islands. Our tip: Use the well signposted Thijsse-route (about 40 km/24 miles) and visit some villages and the seal sanctuary station EcoMare and the nice traditional beer brewery in the harbour of Oudeschild.

Day 4 (Tue): Sailing day to Island of Terschelling

Today the ship will sail, when the tide and the weather is good, to the island of Terschelling. You will manoeuvre through the sandbanks of the Wadden Sea and when you are lucky you will see seals lying to rest on a sandbar. In the afternoon the ship will arrive on Terschelling.

Day 5 (Wed): Terschelling: Explore the island by bike (Cycling 1–40 km / 1–24 miles)

Terschelling offers so much: nature and culture, 70 km cycling tracks and 4 beautiful villages. West-Terschelling is the largest village on the island with nice shops and pubs. The landmark of the island can already be seen well from a distance, the 400 year old lighthouse "Brandaris". Also worth seeing is the heath land "Boschplaat". It captivates with its mud, beaches and dunes. You might even spot a number of ducks, black-winged stilts and large colonies of spoonbills and great black-backed gulls.

Day 6 (Tue): Southwest coast of the Province of Friesland (Cycling 50–60 km / 31–38 miles)

Today you reach Harlingen, the most important city in Friesland. Via Franeker, with its famous planetarium of Eising Eisinga, the route continues through the wonderful, spacious, Frisian landscape dotted with small villages until you reach Makkum. If you want to take the long bike ride, you will also come to Bolsward, one of the nice Frisian eleven cities.

Day 7 (Fr): Makkum - Stavoren (Cycling 30–48 km / 19– 30 miles) | Sailing back to Enkhuizen

From Makkum we cycle to Stavoren. The route leads over the old trading village Hindeloopen. The Hindelooper painting is world famous. Here is also the first Frisian skating museum. The long route leads along several Frisian lakes, showing a completely different landscape. After the cycling tour we will sail back to Enkhuizen.

Day 8 (Sat): end of the tour in Enkhuizen

Disembarkation by 10:00 am. A beautiful journey full of new experiences has come to an end.

Notes

A Sail & Bike tour is like a little bit of adventure: the only thing which is really fixed on this cruise is the departure and arrival harbour Enkhuizen. The sailing routes to be taken depend largely on the weather, wind and the tides. The skipper will determine from day to day the exact sailing schedule and discuss the possibilities with the guests. The skipper and his crew will do everything they can to offer you the program as planned so you can enjoy a fascinating week with a variety of activities, nature and culture, but it is possible that the departure and sailing times and/or the order of the program has to be changed. Enjoy and relax: the elements will lead you!
Various parts of the tour will be sailed. All distances are "approximate distances" of recommended bike tours. When a guest does not want to cycle one day, she/he can skip the bike tour and relax on board while cruising to the next harbour.
Program + details barring changes, a.o. as a result of nautical, technical or meteorological reasons.

Please note: All cycling distances stated above are approximate only.