Holland by motorhome - Clogs, Canals, Cheese, Cycles, Castles and Camels!

It goes without saying that there are windmills.

Another favourite for us when we are short of time and/or money is Holland (or the Netherlands as we should call it really). Yes it is flat, but as we live near Lincoln we have got quite used to the flat landscapes and big skies that characterise Holland. We are also keen on cycling and as Holland has thousands of miles of traffic-free, clearly marked cycle paths, we often gravitate towards it for a short break.

We usually use the Dover Calais crossing and chug along the E4 motorway through Belgium to Holland. It only takes a few hours and although this stretch of road is a bit boring, it does take you very close to Bruges and it would be very easy to pop in on the way there or back if you wanted. For campsites, if it is low season we use our ACSI card www.eurocampings.co.uk/‎ (12 - 16 euros a night ) and for high season it's the mini-camping scheme www.vekabo.nl/‎ which vary from 10 to 20 euros a night.

The southern and central parts of Holland are where the lion's share of the population lives and where most of the main cities are located including the capital. Driving distances are relatively short around the country and the roads are brilliant and almost entirely toll-free.

We couldn't quite believe it either but they were in a
field in Southern Holland.

The most obvious tourist attraction is the capital, Amsterdam. Plenty to do (and eat) here as you might expect. The first thing to say is that we wouldn't recommend driving your van into Amsterdam. It's very easy to park up at one of the outlying train stations and use their hyper-efficient railway system instead. There's too much to Amsterdam to do justice to it here. The best way to see it is via the canals and there are lots of options to do this relatively cheaply. Allow plenty of queuing time if you want to visit Anne Frank's house.

So, apart from the capital, what's worth visiting in Holland. Here's a top ten:

1. Cities. Any number of interesting cities including Delft, The Hague, Arnhem, Amersfoort, Edam, Utrecht, Maastricht, Eindhoven, Alkmaar, Rotterdam, Dortrecht. The list goes on and all of these are within a few hours of each other.

2. Art. It's ridiculous how many famous artists have come from Holland over the years. There are art galleries in most major cities and beyond including the Hoge Veluwe near Arnhem (worth a visit in its own right) and there is a lively programme of visiting exhibitions throughout the country. 

3. Cycling. A bit obvious this one, but if you want to have a decent bike ride where you don't get buzzed by motorists and the cycle paths don't run out after a few miles, then this is the place to come. Visit the local tourist information office (the VVV) and get yourself a cycling map or follow the really easy numbering signpost system. You never have to go up a hill and you get to cycle along some beautiful stretches of waterway.

The Hunting Lodge in the Hoge Veluwe National Park

4. Castles. Yes, castles. Amazingly, Holland has a couple of hundred castles, many of which are in the southern and central belt. Some of them are private homes and some can be visited. We did a 'castle tour' on our bikes in 2010. It was fascinating!

5. Cheese and Clogs. We are not that bothered about either of these, which is why I've grouped them together but some people love them. I will confess to once buying a pair of clog shaped slippers, but that's as far as it went. The cheese is mainly of the Gouda/Edam variety and by our standards tends to be a bit mild. I'm probably being a bit of a snob on this one, but you can't beat a bit of Stinking Bishop.

6. Canals. These are an engineering marvel and basically stop Holland from being under water. They range from the massive trade routes with 200ft long barges to the web of urban waterways you will find in the cities, down to small networks of dykes. You can follow many of them via the towpath, which is almost always a dedicated cycle path.

You will see miles and miles of fields of bulbs in the springtime

7. Beer and Food. Holland are big on lagers and most regions and cities have their own local brews, many of which are familiar to us in the UK such as Heineken, Grolsch and Amstel. I think it's rude not to try the local beer every time you come across one. Food-wise, the Dutch don't tend to be internationally famous. We have found that they have embraced all food styles (a bit like the UK) and that the portion sizes tend to be quite generous.

8. Flowers and Bulbs. Beautiful in the spring, even if you are not particularly into horticulture. Keukenhof is a must if you are a fan of such things. It's not far from Amsterdam (to the south) and is open all through spring.

9. Beaches. Perhaps not an obvious spot for a beach holiday, but all along the eastern coastline there is plenty to go out. The beaches are flat and sandy and busy in the season.

The art deco style radio station in The Hoge Veluwe

10. The North! Although many of the obvious attractions are in the southern and central belt, a drive up to the north is well worth it. The university town of Groningen is beautiful and you can see how the land simply disappears into the sea along the northern 'coast' a bit further up from here. Fields, roads and hedgerows simply vanish into the water! Come back down across the Afsluitdijk, the 20-mile long causeway.