NSCR - Netherlands
The North Sea Cycle route goes around the North Sea and is about 6.600 km. In February 2017, we really needed a break and we were looking for something not too far away.
We cycled from Ostend (Belgium) to Groningen (Netherlands) from where we will pick up the route at a still to be defined later stage.
In our opinion, this part of the NSCR is ideal for cyclists who are new to bicycle touring. It's not hilly, you're passing nice villages, it's mostly cycle paths and while you are of course always close to the sea, it still has a lot of variation in landscapes.
You can find the entire route as Eurovelo 12 on different sites. In The Netherlands, the route follows the LF 1 and LF 10.
GPS for the part in The Netherlands can be retrieved from https://www.hollandcyclingroutes.com
Video on DILISTUFF YouTube channel
Tips
The Netherlands is known for its tulips and the many, many cyclists. Most of the country is flat and makes it the ideal country for a leisurely ride. This means also that you are seldomly alone on the road, and that's why we have chosen to do this trip outside the tourist season in February. (According some statistics, February and April are also the months with the least rain).