Woerden to Amsterdam

Sharing the Road

Fairly easy stretch into Amsterdam, with cyclepaths most of the way. There were stretches where cyclists and two lanes car traffic would share one lane roads with canals and houses on either side. Lot’s of water birds and sunny skys. Paths were smooth and lots of cyclist out, was beautiful day for cycling. Or anything else.

Planned Route

Actual Route

So much for the shortcut

When you’re traveling in the land of canals, the twists and turns can feel like riding through a maze. Most of the time, when the route planner sends us down an odd turn, there’s a reason—some hidden bike path, a shortcut, or a quiet road hugging the water. We often get away with calling audibles, veering off-plan for a better route, a nicer view, or sometimes just snacks. But today, the path we chose was impassible, so we had to backtrack a bit to rejoin the route.

Cycling alongside the road—part of the ride today

Cycling through this region offers a blend of urban landscapes and natural scenery. Well-maintained bike paths thread through the area, making it an enjoyable and accessible route for cyclists. At times, the path runs directly alongside roads shared with cars, but the ride still feels calm and safe.

More cows—must be Holland

We passed a long open barn lined with cows, all perfectly aligned as they leaned out to eat. They didn’t seem fazed by passing cyclists or the faint hum of nearby roads—just calmly chewing, as if nothing in the world could rush them.

In the Netherlands, it’s not unusual to shift from an urban science park to a working dairy farm in just a few kilometers. That contrast is part of what makes cycling here so memorable—a patchwork of city and countryside, stitched together by bike paths.

A city surrounded by wildlife

On the outskirts of the city, we drifted into the quiet expanse of the Amsterdam Science Park. The bike paths remained smooth and well-marked, curving gently between sleek university buildings and open stretches of green. All around us, people were out enjoying the day—some riding, others walking slowly beneath the trees—many of them, we guessed, students or researchers taking a break from their studies.

We spotted a stunning male pheasant moving through the brush, his coppery feathers flashing in the sun.
Alongside him, the usual suspects—ducks, coots, and herons—drifted across the quiet canals. Just a few miles from the heart of Amsterdam, and somehow, we were still surrounded by wildlife.