Spend a weekend in Valkenburg, the hilliest place in the Netherlands

If you’re a cycling fan like me, Valkenburg means one thing – the Cauberg. The most famous summit in one of the Spring Classics, the Amstel Gold Race which takes place every April (global pandemics permitting, it was cancelled in 2020). Yes, there are hills in the southern Dutch province of Limburg and they’re a…

On the trail of Operation Market Garden: 70 years on

It’s 70 years since Operation Market Garden came to an unexpected end in Arnhem; the infamous Bridge Too Far. The events of that time have left a deep impression on the area, commemorated recently with memorial services and reenactments to mark the 70th anniversary. The plan was to take a number of bridges from Eindhoven up…

Hidden Holland: tips and highlights off the tourist track

Despite (maybe because of) being married to a Dutchie, I’ve never written much about the country here. A couple of recent trips have inspired me to put that right, so I’m starting an occasional series on hidden highlights that aren’t on the usual tourist route in Holland. There’s more to life/travel than just Amsterdam and…

Delft

You can’t go into a souvenir shop in Holland without falling over dozens of knick-knacks painted in blue and white. The traditional pottery comes from the town of Delft, a gezellig little place halfway between Den Haag and Leiden. So is Delft a tourist trap, or is it worth a visit? Like many southern Dutch…

Party by the river in the land van Cuijk

Isn’t it often the countries that you think you know the best, where strong visual images of the countryside come easily to mind, that can surprise you the most? Most people think of Holland as canals and windmills, but head south and the landscape changes completely. Just back from another week in Holland, enjoying the…