London to Amsterdam – UECT riding an ultra-distance

Four daredevils decided to go on an expedition to the Netherlands: Filip, Piotr, Tomasz and Seweryn. We had mixed experience with long rides and this trip was going to be a test for a few of us.

Chapter 1: London – Calais (117 km, 6 hours ride)
We met in London at St Pancras station. From there we took a train to Stratford, the district where the 2012 Olympic Games were held. After reaching the place, our hearts were filled with the sports spirit that was floating around us. We decided to immortalize this moment and took a quick photo and then continued our journey.

We passed under the Thames using an underwater tunnel to reach Greenwich. On the other side, we were greeted by the impressive SV Cutty Sark, which is also a museum ship from the 19th century. It was an unforgettable welcome.
During our journey through London, we covered the kilometers at a fairly brisk pace, although we often stopped at red lights. At one of such stops, random people in the car started us to talk. When they found out that we were going to Amsterdam on our bikes, they started applauding and wishing us good luck. Then we realized that our distant dream was becoming a reality – a truly crazy event.
After a few kilometers, we discovered that one of our group had accidentally put too much salt into his water bottle. We had to stop for a quick purchase of fresh water to continue our journey. Our vigilant guide was Seweryn, who kept an eye on the riding time.
Halfway through the route, we stopped for a quick coffee and a sandwich at a roadside gas station. The ride was too easy, so something must have happened… Suddenly, two people’s bike lights went out. It happened at the moment when we were passing through villages where there was no street lighting. We decided to go in pairs and illuminate each other’s path.

Another misfortune of the night ride was catching a slipper 15 minutes before the ferry. Luckily, we quickly replaced the tube and lightened the mood with a few jokes before continuing on our way. As we entered the port city of Dover, the streets were empty. Of course, it was 3:40 a.m., so normal people were still sleeping. We were relieved that we had made it on time for the ferry. Even though we were tired after the all-night drive, we quickly checked in and boarded the ship that would take us to the other side of the English Channel.

When we finally found a free table on the ferry with comfortable chairs, we could finally rest for a while. Some of us ate previously prepared food, others opted for dinner or breakfast at the ferry restaurant. Each of us tried to squint our eyes for a moment, whether by resting our heads on the table or lying on the floor. After such a sleepless night, even the hard floor felt comfortable.
After some time, the ferry was approaching the port of Calais. With excitement in our hearts, we prepared for the next stage of our journey. We were filled with gratitude that we had made it to the ferry on time and now looked forward to what the next part of our adventure would bring.

Cycling interesting fact: Greenwich, through which we passed, is the place where the Prime Meridian begins. This is important for cyclists around the world because all longitudes are measured from this point, making it easier to accurately plan routes and map journeys. Additionally, Greenwich is the starting point for many of the UK’s famous cycle races, attracting both amateurs and professionals.

Chapter 2: Calais – Breskens (151 km, 9 hours of riding)
We arrived in Calais at 7:10. After riding all night from London to Dover, we were feeling tired and the weather wasn’t looking good, so we all dressed for rain. The plan for that morning was to stop in Dunkirk, where we were to have breakfast. Seweryn had already talked about his breakfast goal the day before – a French baguette and coffee. Before we hit the road, however, nature began to call one of us, so we headed to Oye-Plage, 16 kilometers away, in search of a toilet.

It turned out that it was not such an easy task. After visiting the town, three supermarkets, a McDonald’s and a church, we did not find an open toilet. The tension was growing and our friend looked as if he was about to explode. The only solution was to drive towards Dunkirk and look for something along the way. Only in Dunkirk was the call of nature answered and we all breathed a sigh of relief.
We found a quiet and modest cafe near the river, where we each ordered coffee and a baguette. After half an hour we were back on the route. The road led through picturesque French landscapes: green meadows stretching to the horizon, interrupted from time to time by rows of slender trees and small, charming villages. It took us almost three hours to cover the first 45 kilometers on French soil, but at least we did some sightseeing and got a little wet because it started to rain lightly. Seweryn happily grabbed his baguette, saying it was worth the wait, even if he had to jump through puddles along the way.

It was less than 15 kilometers from Dunkirk to the border with Belgium and we covered it very efficiently, riding mostly along main roads. In the meantime, it stopped raining, which improved our mood.
At the border there was a bicycle path waiting for us along the Plassendale-Dunkerque canal. The path had a perfect surface and this or other canals accompanied us all the way to the Dutch border. The flat terrain allowed us to reach high speeds, but every now and then we had to slow down to jump from one side of the canal to the other. The landscape was not original: a canal, a field, a village, cows… Just before Brugge, there was some variety, because the smooth surface turned into characteristic Belgian cobblestones. Their condition was much better than those of the Flanders classics, so the ride was quite bearable.

Around noon we started looking for a place to replenish our fluids. In Plassendale we stopped at a café called ‘t Spaans Tolhuis (Spanish Gate), which turned out to be a former stronghold of Spanish mercenaries from 1650, guarding Brugge against uninvited guests. The picturesque surroundings and the view of the old defensive walls made it possible to forget about tiredness for a moment.
Around 4 p.m. we rolled into Brugge, where we found an empty fryer. The owner was just getting ready to close the place, but after an incoherent exchange of words, when he learned that we were on our way to Amsterdam, he took our order. The meal consisted of French fries and meat and fish accompaniments.

We were pressed for time, so instead of visiting Brugge, we continued our journey. There are less than 15 kilometers left to the border with the Netherlands. We crossed the border near the town of Sluis, where a local celebration was just ending. We didn’t really know who was celebrating what, but we stopped for a moment to take a few photos of the large puppets pulled through the town, and then we continued towards Breskens. 150 kilometers from Calais, we had another ferry crossing. It was almost 4 p.m. when we boarded the ferry to Vlissingen, and Tomek, as if nothing had happened, decided to lubricate his chain…

Cycling fun fact: Brugge, also known as Bruges, is often the starting point for the Ronde van Vlaanderen race, one of the most famous cycling classics in the world. The race, also known as the “Flanders Mountains,” is known for its challenging trails, cobbled roads and steep climbs that attract the best cyclists from around the world.

Chapter 3: Breskens – Volendam (200 km, 12 hours of riding)
The ferry crossing was quite short, which allowed us to talk a bit and laugh together. After leaving the ferry, it turned out that Tomek had a problem with the rear derailleurs. We solved the problem relatively quickly and had time to drink coffee before continuing our journey. The route led along the coast, where we had pleasant views of the beaches and the North Sea. On this route we passed through several storm dams connecting the Dutch peninsulas and islands. We also rode through the storm barrier (Oosterscheldekering), which is located in the province of Zealand, where the annual Dutch Headwind Cycling Championships are held.

The route to Rozenburg was uneventful, where we had our last ferry crossing. We already knew we wouldn’t get to the hotel before midnight. As dusk was approaching, we decided to go to Rozenburg without making an additional stop and have our last meal in Maassluis. After reaching Rozenburg around 9:15 p.m., we had to wait a few minutes for the ferry, which was intended only for transporting bicycles. Seweryn informed the hotel that we would not be there until midnight (we had to check in by midnight, otherwise the reservation would be lost) and extended our check-in. On the ferry, we exchanged a few words with a couple of cyclists and after learning that we were going from London to Amsterdam, they recommended a nearby hotel. The ferry ride took about 10 minutes. We immediately went to look for a restaurant, which also turned out to be a challenge. Finally we found a bar where we ate our last meal. Leaving Maassluis around 10:30 p.m., we had approximately 110 km to cover.

The road was very calm, but very dark and winding, where we also had to adjust the pace to Piotrek, who felt the distance traveled and the time without sleep the most. One more short stop at the bus stop in front of Amsterdam, where Piotr was obviously already dreaming of a hotel bed. There was even a suggestion that two of us should go a little faster and check out the hotel, but our departure motto was: “We start the adventure together and end together.” We reached Amsterdam, where we stopped to take a few photos, and admired Amsterdam at night from the seat of a bicycle.
Amsterdam was not our place to stay, we still had to travel about 20 km to Volendam, which led along bicycle paths through dimly lit fields. We reached the hotel at 3:00 a.m., tired but satisfied. Check-in went smoothly and we quickly got to our hotel rooms. Some of us were so tired that we fell asleep in a half-sitting position with the phone in hand.

Cycling interesting fact: Traditionally, the Dutch Headwind Cycling Championships are held on the coast, in the province of Zealand in the south of the Netherlands. The 8.5 km long race route runs along the Oosterscheldekering storm barrier next to the beach. Only single-speed bikes are permitted and all are provided by the event organizer. Despite the enormous interest of Dutch cyclists in this race, only 300 people (or 25 teams of four) are selected from the list. The annual time trial, which has become a tradition since 2013, is usually announced three days before the expected storm.

Chapter 4: Volendam – Hook of Holland (two sections total 50 km and 3 hours of riding time)
After five hours of sleep and washing our cycling clothes, we ate breakfast and started our return journey. Unfortunately, we had to rush again to catch the ferry. For this reason, we decided to shorten part of the route. We rode bikes from Volendam to Amsterdam, and from there we went to The Hague by train.

In The Hague, even though the Netherlands is famous for bicycles, finding a cyclist-friendly restaurant turned out to be not so easy. Eventually we decided to have a quick coffee and cake and then continued our bike ride. To say goodbye, The Hague played two more pranks on us – Filip lay down on the tram rails, and Piotr was slightly mauled by another cyclist who, even though he was carrying two children on a cargo bike, decided to squeeze in between Piotrek and the car traffic. Well, apparently The Hague has its own unique way of dealing with cyclists. After leaving the city, we headed towards the Hook of Holland, heading to Scheveningen to join the bike paths along the Dutch beaches. The landscape compensated for the conditions, which were quite difficult because we were traveling against the wind the entire way.

We made it to the ferry happy and satisfied with the successful trip. After a while we were in our cabins. Refreshed, we headed to the main deck in search of food and a game. The Euro 2024 final was taking place and all available seats in front of the TV sets were occupied by English fans. After the match, we went for a well-deserved rest. In the morning, after reaching Harwich, we had a moment to say goodbye and everyone headed towards their home.

Cycling interesting fact: The Hague is known for its numerous bicycle paths, which are part of the Dutch “Fietsknooppunt” system. This system is a network of marked cycle routes that connect different cities and regions in the Netherlands. Thanks to it, you can easily plan routes, and one of the most important paths, leading from The Hague to Scheveningen, is popular among cyclists due to its picturesque seaside views. In 2019, The Hague was recognized as one of the friendliest cities for cyclists in Europe by Cycling Weekly magazine, which is proof of its excellent infrastructure and commitment to promoting cycling culture.

Summary
To sum up, within 48 hours of leaving London, we spent 30 hours on the saddle to ride 518 kilometers to Volendam and then to Hook of Holland. During this extraordinary expedition, we not only discovered the beauty of various regions, but also exceeded our previous limits – both in terms of time and kilometers. Every day we became stronger and more cohesive as a team. The pain that accompanied us during the journey will quickly pass, but the memories of this epic adventure will remain with us forever. Every kilometer, every adventure and every obstacle was part of an unforgettable journey that we will remember for a long time.