LF1 North Sea Route - LF1 Noordzeeroute

LF1 North Sea Route

Texel Marsdiep (Wadden Sea) den Helder (Start signage) NS station Den Helder (about 2 km) hats LF10 (> North Sea Cycle Route)- Afsluitdijk LF7 - Alkmaar Bergen by the Sea Wijk aan Zee North Sea Canal IJmuiden Bloemendaal LF20 - Haarlem Zandvoort (NS station) Noordwijk Katwijk aan Zee LF4 Central Netherlands Route - through Wassenaar Scheveningen LF4 Central Netherlands Route - via station the Hague CS LF12 - Rotterdam Hoek van Holland NS station Hoek van Holland Haven North Sea Cycle Route > (Harwich, United Kingdom/ border, ferry to England) New Waterway Europort Voorne-Putten Haringvlietdam Goeree-Overflakkee Brouwersdam Schouwen-Duiveland Oosterschelde barrier North Beveland Westkapelle Flushing (NS station) LF13 - Bergen op Zoom Western Scheldt LF30 - Terneuzen Lock Border Netherlands - Belgium Damme LF5 (> Flanders Cycle Route) - Bruges Newport (Coastal tram De Lijn) Diksmuide (NMBS station) LF6 (Flanders Cycle Route >) - Ypres Border Belgium - France cotton wool Boulogne-sur-Mer

The cyclist follows the North Sea coast of the Netherlands, Belgium and northern France as much as possible via the LF1 North Sea route. This is clearly the case in the Netherlands, where the route for the most part through dune areas really follows the coastline as much as possible. From Dutch Flanders is mainly followed a more inland route. The Flemish and northern French coastlines are therefore less attractive to cycle along, as these coasts are very built-up and therefore also attract a lot of car traffic.

The cycle route through the underlying Flemish polder landscapes and historic cities such as Damme and Diksmuide is well worth the effort.

Past the French Watten, the route changes again. From here on you have to take into account height differences in the form of fairly steep climbs. Polder landscapes make way for a lot of forest and the route continues as Route de la Mer du Nord.