Exploring the world in the Netherlands – five challenging Tours

You don’t have to travel the world to find varied landscapes and culture. In fact, you don’t even have to look much further than your doorstep. In the Netherlands, you may be surprised to find sunny Californian scenes in the regions of Gelderland and Limburg; you may mistake Gelderland for the Swiss city of Bern; or whisk yourself away to Naples, England, or Palestine. In this Collection, I take you on a world trip to different corners of Holland. Adventure can be found close to home, after all.

Useful tips for the road:
- Every Tour starts at a large train station with Park and Ride (P+R) where you can conveniently park your car.

- Of course, a trip around the world requires some effort and blood, sweat and tears (... it's not that bad, though...) Why not explore the world at your doorstep in the Netherlands instead. The routes in this Collection are 52 - 101 miles (84 - 164 km) long, making for a long and beautiful day in the saddle and a challenging, but exciting, adventure.

- You can split the individual stages into two days to tailor your own bikepacking adventure. This way, you can take your time, spend a little longer exploring and spend the night in comfortable accommodation en route.

- Three of the five Tours are perfect for a regular racing or touring bike. Two Tours do require wider and firmer tyres, especially the world trip that starts in Apeldoorn, and Crimea, Palestine and France. These make for great unpaved adventures on your gravel, mountain, or touring bike.

- As with any (world) trip, you should come prepared. Although you'll pass villages and cities en route where you can rest and resupply, make sure you carry some provisions with you.

Why not try out travelling far and wide on your home turf – you may surprise yourself with the varied landscapes, history, nature and culture right outside your door.