It’s been a challenging day, but here we are at last in lovely Leiden. Particularly lovely to us tonight as a few hours ago we thought we’d never find it.

We did manage to master the junction route system (my husband clutching the printed numbers and me with the Fietserbond Routeplanner app on my phone) which is really so simple that even two idiots can follow it.

The first section out of Amsterdam is lovely, through quiet parkland with few people that can be disturbed by our son’s issues with cycling on the ‘right’ side of the path..

Unfortunately Schiphol Airport is undertaking some construction work, leading to peculiar removal of signage. After a cryptic conversation with a barrier guard (‘red light, upstairs’) we followed some sports cyclists who conveniently led us back on track through Oud Meer, past lovely canals, excellent apple cake and fine views of windmills:

There was a whole selection of interesting infrastructure (if you find that sort of thing ‘interesting’) which will have to wait for another night. Let me just tantalise you with this cycle path that’s as BIG AS THE ROAD!

Our undoing was just 15km from Leiden when a kind passerby suggested that we try a lovely route using a local ferry service just up the road. A short ride, an unexpected river crossing by boat and a fine lunch later we found that the ferry service didn’t operate during the week. Unfortunately we didn’t double back but tried an ‘off plan’ route which seemed to involve cycling quite near Leiden but not actually getting into it. We finally found our old friend the ‘red cycle route’ and followed it into the centre..

Amsterdam to Leiden: Seven hours of cycling (including lunch and cake stops) covering around 40 miles by accident. Thank you Leiden and goodnight!