| Where | Ameland Loop (Netherlands) |
|---|---|
| Date | 29 July 2008 |
| Duration | 3 hours 45 minutes |
| Distance | 15.5 miles (~25 km) |
| Weather | Overcast with severe thunderstorms later |
| Trail conditions | Tarmac and dirt track, dry at first |
| Rider | Age | Bike(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Anonymous | Unknown | Gazelle Orange |
| Anonymous (2) | Unknown | Gazelle Primeur |
| Anonymous (3) | Unknown | Gazelle Orange |
| Emily Watson | 15 | Gazelle Orange |
| Josie Wilton-Jones | Unknown | Loekie Urban |
| Mark 'Tarquin' Wilton-Jones | 28 | Gazelle Primeur |
Trip report
Description by Mark 'Tarquin' Wilton-Jones
This was a functional bike ride, to visit local sights. A lot of time was spent at each place, giving a total end-to-end time of 7 hours.
The ride begins at the bike rental, a short walk from the ferry, on the Frisian island of Ameland. We turn right onto the coastal dike, and follow the path beside farmland.
Reaching the dunes, we turn left, and continue into a town. After the town, we have to use the road for a while, before turning right towards a campsite. At the campsite, we turn right.
This takes us to the beach, where we stay for a while before turning left. This is the start of the dune dirt track path, and actually goes uphill for like 5 metres at a time. We follow this for the first section. After reaching some buildings, we swing left into the urbanised area.
We reach Buren, and follow some freaky path that I couldn't possibly remember again along town roads turning in random directions. After passing the Nes windmill, we reach another campsite, and turn left onto the continuation of the dune track. This part manages to go uphill twice as much, and downhill too. For a Dutch bike rider, this would be severe exertion. For a mountain biker it is a "huh?".
In sight of the lighthouse at the end of Ameland 8 KM away, we see the dark clouds, and with some concern for the smallest rider, we decide to call it quits, and aim back. We take a left, and follow a path that actually aims downhill. At one point, it even managed a single drop of 5 whole metres. Staggering.
On reaching a road, we turn left, and the rain begins. Raindrops get bigger and heavier with a strong side wind, and soon it is a fullblown thunderstorm, with lightning repeatedly flashing around, and hitting the mast ahead. Back at Ness, utterly soaked on one side, we have dinner, then head back to the ferry.
