Today was all about getting to Rotterdam and then the Hook of Holland for 1:30pm to catch the 2:15pm ferry to Harwich. I knew that this would be a big day when planning it, but my approach then was simple; I just needed to do it. Far easier to say without 850+ miles in my legs.

‘Just doing it’ converted into a 5:30am alarm and a 6:30am departure, with the ‘packed breakfast’ the landlady had kindly prepared the night before. While the rain had helped clean the bike it had also washed my chain, so I used the last of my oil to lubricate it.

Within 5 miles Rotterdam was already on the cycle signs, which always helps with navigation and reduces the time stopping to check directions.

Despite a sunny vista, there were dark clouds behind and I had felt few drops of rain, but luckily I stayed dry today.

As I entered the suburbs of Rotterdam my pace slowed due to the increasing number of traffic lights. It also seemed that the signs were taking me ’round the houses’ (but on retrospective inspection of my route, this wasn’t the case).

Approaching the city centre the lift bridge crossing the Oude Mass was up. This is what I would describe as a parallel lift, raised on two columns. While obviously not a specialist in bridge design, I’ve not seen one of these before.

Then to get across the Mass river, there was a dedicated cycle tunnel, complete with wooden escalators and historic images on the wall, providing a glimpse back in Dutch time.

In the absence of a dedicated finish point, I felt that the best place to complete the ride would be the Station (complete with time stamp).

I then promptly departed to the Hook of Holland where, after 65 miles I arrived at 12:30pm to make my ferry.

So that’s the end of another fantastic trip, quite different from the Rhine; slightly shorter (920 miles at an average of 77 miles/day), but much more climbing and of course 9 months older.

Thanks for reading my daily updates which probably only capture about half of what I could have written, as each day was like a week in terms of new sights and experiences. I now need to re-read it all and remind myself about what actually happened. So, I’ll sign off for now, until the next one….