Day 1 Sat Arrive Amsterdam. Amsterdam to Nieuwegein 5 miles.

In the morning you will be able to check into the barge, be shown your cabin and meet your fellow travellers. At approximately 1.00pm your barge will cruise along the Amsterdam-Rijn canal to Nieuwegein, the stop for the night. In the evening you’ll make a short ‘warming-up’ cycle ride in the vicinity.

Day 2 Sun Nieuwegein to Gorinchem 30 miles.

Following the river Lek you cycle to Culemborg, an old fortified town. After a short stop, you continue following the river Linge to Leerdam, known for its glassware since the 18th century. You continue the route along the river to Gorinchem, your stop for the night. In the evening your guide will take you around this fortified town and show you some of the interesting sights. In the 13th century the town and surroundings became the property of the Lords of Arkel who were big and strong for their time. There is a story, that Jan I of Arkel, called "The strong one" lifted himself and his horse off the ground by pulling with his arms on the wooden beams in the town gates.

Day 3 Mon Gorinchem to Heusden 28 miles.

In the morning you have time to visit the market in Gorinchem and then at noon a ferry will take you to one of the most well-known castles in Holland - castle Loevestein. After having visited the castle, you will cycle to Poederoijen and then to Ammerzoden, where there are two more castles. The ferry crossing the Bergse Maas takes you to picturesque Heusden, the fortified town where you’ll spend the night. A stroll along the fortifications surrounding the city will take about an hour. That is, if you can tear yourself away from the wonderful sights, the unique views of this ancient city and the beautiful windmills. Heusden is one of Holland’s best kept secrets!

Day 4 Tues Heusden to Dordrecht 34 miles.

Right across the Drunense Duinen, a vast area of moving sands, you cycle to ’s-Gravenmoer from where the river Donge will be followed. Geertruidenberg, known as the oldest town of Holland, may be admired for its fortifications and its splendid location at the river Amer. Here you rejoin the barge and cruise to Dordrecht, one of the six towns known as ‘The Secrets of Holland'. Dordrecht grew to be the most important city of Holland, and although it had to give up this position long ago, footsteps from the history of the Netherlands still echo in the streets. Famous citizens of Holland came from Dordrecht, such as Grand Pensionary Johan de Witt who governed the powerful merchant state of Holland in the Golden Age for 27 years. Vincent van Gogh also spent some time in Dordrecht.

Day 5 Wed Dordrecht to Gouda 34 miles.

In the morning there is a short cycle trip to and through the Biesbosch nature reserve. In the afternoon you pass Oud-Alblas and Alblasserdam on your way to the 19 windmills of Kinderdijk, don’t forget your cameras! The mills, built around 1740, drain the excess water from the Alblasserwaard polders - which are situated below sea level - after which the water is sluiced into the river Lek. Via the polderland of the Krimpenerwaard you arrive in Gouda where in the central marketplace cheese markets have been held since the Middle Ages. If you prefer to go to Gouda by barge, you have the opportunity to visit a pottery, a candle maker or the St. Jans church with its unique stained-glass windows.

Day 6 Thur Gouda to Uithoorn 34 miles.

The cycle trip goes right through the Reeuwijkse Plassen, an area of shallow lakes interspersed with strips of land, reed margins, wet meadows and improved grassland, displaying fine views of unspoilt scenery. Via Woerden the trip leads to Uithoorn or Kudelstaart depending on which barge is used (this has to do with the depth of the canals), a village in the 'Green Heart', where you stay the night.

Day 7 Fri Uithoorn to Amsterdam 16 miles.

Early birds rise and shine at 6.30am to take the opportunity to visit the Aalsmeer flower auction. You will ride alongside the river Amstel to and through Amsterdam to rejoin your barge. In the evening you may like to join the guide for a walk around the city or a roundtrip of the Amsterdam canals would make a memorable end to your holiday.

Day 8 Sat Depart from Amsterdam.

It is the end of the tour and so it is time to say farewells, exchange contact details and make your way home.