The sunshine and heat came with a vengeance. We were just cycling in wind and 8 degrees and chilly and then it is hot 25 degrees. It was the perfect day to cycle on one of the Frisian islands. Holwert is about 40 minutes from Hindeloopen and lots of parking at the ferry for 10 euros for the day. We are taking the ferry to Ameland Island which was 1 hour.
The ferry to Ameland crosses the shallow Wadden Sea through winding tidal channels surrounded by mudflats and sandbanks. At low tide, huge areas of the sea floor appear above the water, showing how dramatically the landscape changes every day. Ferries must carefully follow deeper routes because the water can become extremely shallow outside the marked channels. Arriving on Ameland feels like stepping into a peaceful world shaped by tides, wind, and the sea.
If you want an adventure, you can hike from Holwert to Ameland through the mudflats. I talked to someone who did it a few times and he said it took him about 5 hours.
We cycled in total 30 km. We first cycled all along the path that follows the North Sea. It was very pretty with all the sand dunes. We stopped and walked to the North Sea. Gorgeous beach with soft fine sand.
We cycled to the village of Hollum where we stopped and had lunch. There are quite a few restaurants and patios and shops in Hollum.
We thought we had more time to cycle back to the ferry so decided to sit and have a cold drink in Nes. Lol and then we had to “suck it back” as we had to rush back to catch our ferry.
When we got to the ferry just before 5 pm, there was a fast ferry back to Holwert. They had room for the 8 of us and it was 9 euros more per person. after a hot long day of cycling we thought that sounded like a good idea. We arrived back in 20 minutes and an hour earlier than the slow ferry we were scheduled for. Yay!
Near Hindeloopen stands the famous upside-down farmhouse called It Lân Skip. Designed by architect Rein Hofstra, the house was built upside down so the living rooms could look over the IJsselmeer dike. Its unusual design makes it one of the most photographed buildings in Friesland. Cycling through the flat countryside, the strange house suddenly appears like something from a storybook.
What a super day on Ameland Island. 🙂
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