We started off at the base at Nieuwezijds Kolk 29, which is close to Centraal Station. After being fitted for our bikes, and hearing a talk about the route, the brakes, and security, we set off. We rode behind Centraal Station and crossed the river on the ferry. After that we had a long ride down a quiet canal, and it was really pretty. It had a very rural feel to it despite being just a short distance from Amsterdam. We stopped at a windmill further down, and then continued riding. We frequently stopped to hear our guide tell us about the area.

We stopped at a pretty village called Broek in Waterlaand for lunch at a pancake house, which was wonderful. This is not included in the price of the tour – allow around 10 euros. Both sweet and savoury pancakes were on the menu, plus sandwiches etc. We then had the easiest part of the day, riding across farmland.

We later appraoched another small village, where the riding got harder due to the heavy traffic on the road, and we stopped for a drink. There were some good views of Amsterdam. We then returned to Amsterdam via a different route. We were congratulated by the leader and then left to deal with our aching bones and legs.

I enjoyed the day mostly, but I am not a confident cyclist and I get very nervous about traffic coming too close to me. That was worrying. The leader was good, very patient and reassuring. The other group members were a good mix of internationals. One couple complained about everything, but the rest of the group was nice. There was a wide mix of ages, from late teens to early retired people. The tour was conducted in English. I went on my own, but soon felt part of the group. The whole day, for 6 hours, cost 22.50 euros including bike rental. You could rent the bike and do the same route for a lot cheaper, but I didn’t want to do it alone. The same company also rent bikes and do a biking tour of the city of Amsterdam.