August 4, 2023
Day 15: Oude Bildtzijl to Leeuwarden
Another relaxed day
There’s a tiny flickering flame of hope in our hearts that the weather in this part of Europe is slowly improving. Like yesterday, we wake to cloudy but dry conditions. Unlike yesterday, we don’t consult any weather apps. So that’s a positive sign.
Our hostess delivers a basket of breakfast goodies to our door. It’s huge. She says the magic words: ‘Take what you want for lunch.’ We do.
As the crow flies (and we’ve seen a few of these), our destination is not too far away. Bruce maps out a scenic route instead (anything to avoid those crows!) to give us a last chance to have a gander at the coastline before heading inland.
It’s a short ride north from Oudebildtzijl to the path that takes us onto the dyke. Just like the other day, we’re dodging sheep – and sheep products – that have arranged themselves comfortably on the concrete. It’s breezy today but no more than is usual here, we’re told by a local walker. Up on the sea wall though, it’s fierce, so we admire the North Sea, put our heads down to pedal, then take the next pathway down to the landward side of the wall.
At Zwaate Haan, we stop to admire the statue of a mud worker (‘slikwerker’),representing the many from the 1500s to the 1700s. These chaps dug trenches in the mud flats at the edge of the sea, thus helping to create new marshlands, which eventually became fertile soil. They truly deserve a statue.
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We leave this harsh but fascinating environment mid-morning to turn inland - and immediately stumble upon what appears to be manna from heaven – a deserted café in the middle of nowhere – with a friendly owner happy to chew the fat with a pair of cyclists from the other side of the world.
It turns out he spent five weeks in New Zealand 15 years ago, enjoying outdoor experiences – but also coming across cafés in remote, beautiful locations. This was his inspiration for ‘The FriezInn’. The chat, as it does with Bruce, soon extends to Keynesian economics and the ways of the world. Fortunately he eventually recognises caffeine deprivation, sends us out to the courtyard and we spend a very pleasant half-hour enjoying coffee and cake.
So much for isolation though. By the time we leave, our two lone bikes have been joined by a dozen others - with more turning up as we leave.
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Our route now takes us directly to Leeuwarden, Friesland’s biggest town. It’s the most pleasant riding we’ve experienced in days. The bike route takes us through fields of vegetables., the streets of small villages, and along waterways, of course. It’s warm and we don’t even care what the wind is doing – or where the next bus shelter might be. This is a turnaround indeed.
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Lunch is at a picnic table before the final stretch into Leeuwarden. It’s been a short but really pleasant day of cycling and our hotel allows us to check in early.
There are two pressing matters on our agenda: laundry and train tickets. It’s a short but smelly bike ride to the Was Self Service and an even shorter but cleaner walk across the road from the hotel to the train station. We’re all set for tomorrow’s main event.
See you then!
Today's ride: 39 km (24 miles)
Total: 799 km (496 miles)
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