Family Camping by Bike and Train

What could be more Dutch than a holiday combining biking and camping? Niina Nuottamo’s Dutch husband has taught her how to holiday like a local and she’s here to share her tips.

Tent, bikes, train tickets – check! Here’s a step-by-step guide to a family biking and camping holiday, based on our experiences so far:

Before

Packing

• Lightweight: pack only what you absolutely need. The less weight you have to travel with the better!
• Warm layer: always include a fleece or sweater if you are camping as temperatures can plummet at night
• Bike bags or a trailer: let the bike carry or drag the weight as it’s not particularly comfortable to bike for long with a huge backpack on
• Waterproof: ensure that the bike bags/trailer are waterproof  – you know how unpredictable the weather can be, even in the summer!
• Equal split: distribute the weight across the bikes, according to what would be reasonable for each person based on their size/fitness/confidence levels
• Day pack: pack so that the items you might need during the trip (water bottle, snacks, extra layer, waterproofs) are readily accessible

Planning

• Insurance: the ANWB offers a special breakdown/repair service for bikes
• Bike MOT/APK: check the bikes before travel and, at the very least, ensure that the wheels are fully inflated (much easier to ride)
• Navigation: you can use Google maps/navigation or the fietsknooppunten network/app
• Get up early: ensure enough time to travel and set up your tent once you get to the campsite (you may not want to be cycling during the hottest time of day)
• Breaks: schedule regular breaks, especially if it’s a hot day and/or the kids are biking too

During

In the Train

• Ticket: remember to buy a ticket for your bike
• Off-peak: you are only allowed to travel with your bike in the train outside peak hours, so plan accordingly
• New trains: the newer Sprinter trains have the entrance level with the platform which makes it easier to wheel in your bike (instead of having to lift bikes up a few stairs), particularly if you have extra weight on the bikes
• Bike sections: look out for the bike symbols on the side of the train – these are the designated bike compartments
• Once in: remove bike bags, arrange bikes by destination (those who get out first should be most accessible) and lock your bike

Transfers

• Avoid switching trains if you can
• Extra transfer time: if you can’t avoid a transfer, allow extra time, especially if you need to go up and down in lifts to change platforms
• Lifts: check your bikes/trailers etc. fit into the train station lifts, otherwise you have to carry everything up the stairs!

Arrival

• Food: ensure there is a grocery shop nearby, especially if you don’t have a means to keep food cool enough
• Sharing is caring: make friends with your campsite neighbors (you might be able to borrow something instead of trekking all the way to the stores)
• Ticks! Check everyone for ticks regularly and ensure you’ve packed a tick removal pincet (we’ve had quite a few already this year)

Happy camping!