Bike the Dutch Lowlands

The province of Zeeland, in the Netherlands’ southwest, is made up largely of islands and peninsulas. Crossing over the many dams, you encounter one island after another, each with its own special character.

Traveling through Zeeland and across its islands is truly a journey of discovery. You cannot ignore the sea – and it’s not hard to realize that one-third of the area’s surface is covered by water.

The best way to visit all the islands is by car; roads are excellent. You can take a train from Amsterdam in 2½ hours to Middleburg and rent a car or bicycle on arrival.

Middleburg has some of the finest beaches in Holland. You pass bridges, dams and ferry docks as you cross over the huge Zeeland Bridge that connects North Beveland to Schouwen-Duiveland. The longest bridge in the Netherlands, the Zeeland Bridge took 30 years to build.

The Delta Works is one of the most impressive structures in the world. Its hydraulic system improves water balance for protection from storms and high sea levels. The works protects a large area of land around the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta from the sea as a very complicated collection of locks, bridges and dams working together.

Once you’ve arrived in Zeeland, take advantage of the more than 23 bike routes around the islands. It’s fun to cycle over the dykes, and the rural bike path junctions are interesting.

On many of the working farms, the farmer or his wife will show you around and often sell delicious farm products.