Cycling in and around Birmingham England

Amsterdam Cycle Trip

We started talking about possible ideas for holidays as we got stuck into several pints of Sarah Hughes dark Ruby mild at The Beacon Hotel in Sedgley on Saturday night. At some point, everybody (that's me and 3 others - and they're non-cyclists) thought my suggestion of a trip to the Netherlands on a cycling holiday next Easter was the best idea ever! Well, it is 6% and we'd started at Ma Pardoe's some time earlier.

If I remember correctly, the plan is to fly in to Schiphol with a single small rucksack each and take the train to Amsterdam centre. Hire 4 bikes and spend a few days enjoying the bike culture, doing tourist stuff, drinking beer and maybe venturing a bit further afield on the bikes or via rail if need be. I didn't tell them the weather can be a bit dodgy in April, I thought it'd make a nice surprise.

I was last in Holland in 1973 so I can't recollect much detail of my trip. Any suggestions, advice or cautions? Should we go for general bike hire from one of the city's shops or the OV Fiets bike rental at the railway stations? Is there something we should definitely cycle to see while we're there? We'll be looking to stay in a small hotel or B&B.

All suggestions gratefully received. If my companions have thought better of it now they've sobered up I shall be well disappointed. ;0)

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Permalink Reply by LS on October 10, 2011 at 23:47

Try Http://www.airbnb.com for accommodation. We (family) were going to stay here in August - http://www.airbnb.com/rooms/73208 but ended up going to Copenhagen instead. We used airbnb for a night in Cologne on the way.

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Permalink Reply by CKS on October 11, 2011 at 11:23

I went to Amsterdam around 2002. The centre seemed really sleazy, a bit like Balsall Heath in the 1980s.

If you go to http://wikitravel.org/en/Amsterdam you'll get some inside knowledge on the place, as well as advice on what to do and where to hire bikes.

If I was you I'd avoid the bright orange ones, they mark you out as a tourist and a potential crime victim.

You can book local accomadation through www.bookings.nl and the tourist information booth outside Central Station (though this might have changed since I was there).

Amsterdam gets really busy at the weekends so you might be better off (including financially) going mid-week.

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Permalink Reply by LS on October 11, 2011 at 11:38

I lived in Balsall Heath in the 80s and it was quite different to Amsterdam.

http://amsterdamize.com/

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Permalink Reply by CKS on October 11, 2011 at 11:39

Yes - prostitutes didn't sit topless in the windows in Amsterdam!

LS said:

I lived in Balsall Heath in the 80s and it was quite different to Amsterdam.

http://amsterdamize.com/

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Permalink Reply by LS on October 11, 2011 at 11:42

True, they mostly stood. The ones in Cheddar Road were too fat and lazy so sat.

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Permalink Reply by Jon Ingram on October 11, 2011 at 21:53

Thanks, Dan, the voice of reason. And, no worries, we'll drink wine if need be!

I remember it being a beautiful city, really pikcherskue, and with some really interesting nooks and crannies to explore. Just trying out the cycle tracks will keep me happy for hours. The other 3 - they can ooh and ah over the canals and stuff all they like! ;0)

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Permalink Reply by CKS on October 12, 2011 at 8:03

RE: "If you don't look for it (casting no aspersions Chris S), you wouldn't even know Amsterdam is full of whores and drug addicts, especially during the day"

I made the mistake of booking a hotel near the university, which is in the heart of the red-light district. It was also difficult to get any sleep with people brawling outside my window throughout the night.

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Permalink Reply by LS on October 12, 2011 at 10:13

I wonder if many Dutch people visit Birmingham to enjoy the car culture? Hire a car for a few days, get stuck in traffic, breathe the fumes, indulge in a bit of road rage, visit the marvel that is Spaghetti Junction, spend a day touring M6, M5, M42. I think there's a gap in the market there.