Gouda to Delft

Let's go to Kinderdijk

On our way to Delft we decided to take our friends down to Kinderdjik, and although it was well out of the way I found a way to make it an simple ride as they are still new to being in the saddle for long stretches. We broke the day into two rides, starting with a relaxed pedal along back canal paths to Kinderdijk. The landscape here feels almost suspended between water and land—an intricate patchwork of polders, where strips of farmland alternate with canals in nearly equal measure. This region, part of the Alblasserwaard polder system, exists below sea level and relies on a centuries-old network of dikes, sluices, and canals to stay dry. As we cycled through this engineered wetland, the sun broke through the clouds—a welcome sign for a scenic and easy ride through the windmill park.

Planned Route

Actual Route

Life woven with the wetlands

Here’s a glimpse of how people live in harmony with the Dutch water management system—where land, canals, narrow farmland, and wetlands coexist. Note the strip of pavement on the right: much of this region is interlaced with narrow paths like these, forming a maze of routes that wind through the polders, between water and land, birds and barns, homes and reeds. It’s also our path through this countryside.

Good Friends, Good Times

Sometimes we hit detours, and unlike places with a clear grid, the canal paths here can get confusing fast. When a route is closed, the workaround might add miles. In this case, we knew we needed to head southeast, so we turned left and kept riding that way. As we headed in the unplanned direction a quick check with Komoot showed it rerouting us automatically. Sometimes I’ll drop a pin ahead where we need to pass through, and Komoot fills in the rest. If we’re unsure, we double-check with Apple or Google Maps.

Egyptian goose family out for a stroll

Not ducks, but just as charming—and a bit more exotic. Originally from Africa, Egyptian geese were introduced to Europe, especially in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany, where they’ve since established wild populations. Spotting a full family like this—with so many goslings—is a treat. We’ve only seen a few on our rides, so coming across this big group felt like a bit of luck.

“The Swan” — Rotterdam’s Erasmus Bridge

Mindful of our time in the saddle, I came up with a plan to shorten the ride—we boarded the Waterbus in Kinderdijk. This fast ferry runs along the rivers between cities like Dordrecht, Kinderdijk, and Rotterdam, and it’s bike-friendly, which made things easy. The ride itself was a treat: we glided past windmills, harbors, a lot of cool bridges—including the striking Erasmus Bridge—and the industrial edges of the city before docking right in the heart of Rotterdam.

Pre-fired pottery—black now, Delft Blue soon.

From the Erasmus docks, we cycled to Delft—one of the Netherlands’ most charming and historic towns. Famed for its cobbled streets, canals, and ties to painter Johannes Vermeer, Delft is best known for its iconic blue and white ceramics. At the Royal Delft factory, we saw pieces before firing—like the ones in this photo. The deep black paint will transform in the kiln, revealing that unmistakable Delft Blue after firing, a process that’s barely changed in centuries.