CONTINENTAL TOURING NETHERLANDS TEXEL messages Barry Crawshaw gets away from it all to explore a little-known area of Holland, DID YOU KNOW? starting on a tiny West Frisian island The island of Terschelling is famous for its INFORMATION cranberries SITES A choice of sites in the Netherlands can be found in the E’RE ON Texel, one of a postcards, which serve the beach set that (duindornbessenwijn) is fantastic. We the length of the island’s coast. To the We cycle around the centre of Club’s Caravan Europe 2 2011 guide. To order your copy of chain of islands that stretches revels in the 22 miles of sandy shoreline. continue on smooth paving across fields south are the polders providing grazing Groningen on a quiet Sunday morning, Caravan Europe 2011, the Club’s two-volume handbook ❖ W along the Dutch and German Round about are the campsites and and bridges, beside meres fringed with for cattle, sheep, goats and the big, where nothing impresses more than the and guide covering all aspects of European touring, see north coasts enclosing the Wadden Sea. chalet parks. This is the mass-market rustling reeds. We rumble through brick- black Friesian horses. magnificent Gothic railway station. At caravanclub.co.uk/caravaneurope or call 01342 327410. The special prices for Club members are £9.50 for CE1 (France, We have only two days on the island, tourism that is Texel’s lifeblood now that paved villages and past opulent To the east is the Boschplaat, a nature Haren in the suburbs, the university’s Portugal, Spain, Andorra) and £9 for CE2 (rest of Europe) plus exploring by bicycle and driving from fishing and sheep farming are declining. mansions. Friesland reveals its nature. reserve of dune, heath and marsh. magnificent botanic garden feeds our £2.50 p&p per order. Please note that the our central campsite. At the Eco Mare De Cocksdorp, meanwhile, is more From Harlingen, we jump aboard the That simple description glosses over a passion for plants. sites in CE are NOT pre-bookable via the Club. exhibition centre, the huge model of the genteelly touristy and the countryside thrice-daily ferry to Terschelling, weaving habitat so rich in flora, birds and insects To the north, we find the Hoogeland ‘Mini-campings’, mostly on farms with 10 to 25 pitches, island gives us a seagull’s-eye view of our relatively undisturbed. There is even a between sandbanks and following that it has been accorded the highest Openluchtmuseum in Warffum to be may have fabulous facilities for their size. Occasionally chemical emptying is not available. English is usually spoken The eye-catching surroundings. Panels all around explain chance of spotting spoonbills on the buoyed channels across the shallow European grading as a conservation area. well presented and, in nearby and owners are welcoming. Camper Club Nederland’s website lighthouse at De the island’s surprisingly rapid evolution Roggesloot waterway, but our luck is out. Wadden Sea. The harbour at West We are no botanists but it is clear that Pieterburen, Domies Tuen garden’s (campervriendelijk.nl) has details and maps of sites and Cocksdorp on the over the centuries: it has not only shrunk Our greatest delight is to come upon Terschelling is packed with sailing barges this landscape is a sheer delight for the systematic grouping is initially masked island of Texel parking places where motor caravans are welcomed. and grown but also migrated! Oosterend. If Texel does not have a ‘best and the streets thronged with their plant specialist. by the rampant, wildflower-garden style. There is much to learn about what floral village’ competition, then it youthful crews. As we wander in this, the We regain the mainland and wander We cycle to the country’s north- TRAVEL/TOURISM man has harvested from the surrounding should, if only to recognise this little island’s hub, we ponder the contrast eastwards, pausing in Dokkum’s eastern-most point, where salt marshes ■ Ferry bookings and sites bookings via the Club –the sea, and the ecological price that this town’s unique style. Every house and between the pulsating commercial well-run Camping Harddraverspark, nourish innumerable waders. We go on Club’s Travel Service features a number of sites in the has extracted from the environment. shop has an imaginative way of showing thoroughfares and the silent streets of and find an idyllic motor caravan aire to complete the circuit, taking in Netherlands in its Continental Caravanning brochure. For site and ferry details and to make bookings, By the time we take our leave, we are off flowers, many selling beachcombers’ traditional houses. Driving a mile leaves behind the museum in the pretty coastal incredible, star-shaped, multi-moated, call 01342 316101 or see caravanclub.co.uk jostling with schoolchildren who are findings or displaying unusual artefacts. the crowds behind and brings us to village of Moddergat. We pass the giant medieval Bourtange, the atmospheric ■ Early booking offer – book with the Club before the end of on a last-week-of-term excursion and But we must ‘go ashore’ to the Camping Cnossen. As we walk in the sluices that control the inland sea of the monastery of Ter Apel with its cool January 2011 on the day service to the Hook of Holland and have all, of course, come by bike, too. mainland and we arrive at our next surprisingly mixed woodland, we criss- Lauwersmeer and the busy ferry terminal woodland walks, and the Drents-Friese caravan goes free We look for ours among the hundreds campsite to find lawns bordered by cross cycle paths of crushed shells, sandy for the popular beaches of the national- Wold national park of forest and heath. ■ Ferries for Texel – see teso.nl ■ of others, and move on to discover trees, extensive views across meadows, rides for horses and paths for walkers. park island of Schiermonnikoog. The In three weeks spent east of Den Ferries for Terschelling – see rederij-doeksen.nl ■ Money – other than at filling stations, credit cards are not Texel’s varied communities. impressive facilities and the kindest We move to the far end of the island, mere successfully reconciles sailing, a Helder, we have not seen another vehicle widely accepted At De Koog’s heart are the rows of of welcomes – in English, of course. to a pastoral mini camping site. To the scenic area of lawns and beaches for with a GB plate. This is without doubt ■ Driving – when crossing cycle lanes, check carefully who has pavement cafés and shops containing Among the local produce in the little north is the dazzling sand beach – up swimming and sunbathing and vast areas the true Netherlands of the Dutch – and priority: it varies. The modest speed limits are adhered to beach toys, flip-flops, sun hats and shop, the sea buckthorn wine to a third of a mile wide – that stretches of undisturbed reserves for waterfowl. we heartily recommend it. ■ 56 The Caravan Club Magazine January 2011 The Caravan Club Magazine 57.