Brilliant, I cycle in the Netherlands every year from the U.K. We take the overnight ferry from North Shields to Ijmuiden. 7 of us the oldest is 87 and the youngest is 70.
Absolutely inspiring stuff! Wow, do you post any photos of your journey? I know people who would watch this video would love to see more! I'll pin this so you can share more.
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts- super motivating to see how the video comes across. If you did enjoy it, it always helps when people share it with their friends!
I was busy watching the video, until I suddenly realized: The quality of this video is amazing! By which I mean the editing, the music, the narration, the pace, the change from scene to scene. Wow!
Late to the party, but... Fully in agreement on how well filmed and edited this video is. And videos like this really do a great job at reminding me of how stunning my little country can be. It can be too easy to forget how beautiful a place is when you're surrounded by it every day and it just becomes 'normal'. Boring even, perhaps. We have no mountains, or grand forests, or canyons, or untamed whitewater rivers, or... Well, you get the point. It's easy to start seeing this country as overly cultivated, flat and boring. But seeing it captured by people who didn't grow up in these environments really drives home that this country can be, honestly, quite gorgeous.
Such kind words! Thank you for taking the time to share. The Netherlands is absolutely stunning and I am grateful you felt like you got to appreciate it. This is one of my main aims with filmmaking so it really warms my heart knowing my video hits the mark! Again thanks for commenting- helps a lot with being a smaller channel!
Great video, thanks for sharing! In 2023 I completed a 611-km loop from Haarlem around the Zuiderzee and then south to Bruges with my older brother. As Canadian retirees with serious health issues, we too worried about fatigue. So worked with Holland Bike Tours on a route that kept our distances down to 50-70km/day, had us staying in three-star and four-star hotels in beautiful traffic-free old towns, and used a luggage transfer service to carry our bags. Very different price point vs bike packing, but what an utterly amazing trip! We love everything about the Netherlands - the friendly people, the scenery your film captures so well, the cycling culture, the many thousands of kilometers of safe bike paths separated from traffic, the historic fortresses and castles, the pedestrianized waterfront promenades lined with cafes, the farmland, polders, canals, lakes, beaches, sand dunes, and on and on. Best cycling country on earth! After watching your video I can’t wait to get back…
Wow it sounds like you had an incredible trip from Zuiderzee to Bruges with your brother! Amazing that despite your serious health issues you pushed on- not many people would put themselves in that position. And it sounds like it was worth it with what you saw. Happy my video sparked some of that joy and hopefully you get to do another trip like it! Thanks for taking the time to share :)
I'd actually say it worked in our favour! The start when we were heading north was the real problem but for most of the journey we were going with the wind!
I am currently preparing for my bike trip to Belgium and Netherlands from UK next month and somehow the algorithm brings me to this video.... Gotta say this is a masterpiece. Everything you put in this video is beautiful.
This is the best Netherlands video we have seen, you absolutely captured the essence of Netherlands. We just came back from a summer holiday there and already wanted to go back again. I wish you can share your bike route, or how did you plan your route? Thanks :)
@@PhilippaSin thank you for the kind words! It is a beautiful country! We made our route on the fly. The only thing we considered was starting north and ending south.
Wow, wow, wow, absolutely beautiful video 👍👍. While watching it, it came into my mind that this is poetry by video. You visualized the poem "Herinnering aan Holland".
As a Dutchman, this was really funny. Hearing things like "the terrain was rough", "afraid of punctures" or taking two full weeks to get from Groningen to the coast. Cool to see a different perspective.
I rarely comment on anything. I wanted to drop a line to let you know I really enjoyed this film. You have a very peaceful style that is captivating to watch. One thing that stood out was the music selection. Great choices and taste.
I appreciate you taking the time to comment. It really makes a difference reading a comment like this, so thank you greatly! I put a lot of effort into my music choice, sometimes it takes days to choose one... so I am happy it doesn't go unnoticed!
Thank you for this magnificent production, I was born in The Netherlands, our parents emigrated to Australia in 1951. I went back on a working holiday back in the 1960s and stayed quite a while, I loved it, but the biking infrastructure then wasn't as incredibly good as it is today. Thanks again for the great work.
I just came back from an eighth day bicycle trip from the Hague to maastricht and back. We (me and my sister) used frienden op the fiets (friends on bikes) to stay at various people's homes. We had wind, rain but most of all a beautiful 600 km bike ride through the Dutch country side (and part off Belgium).
So great to read your comment re: Frienden op de fiets. That is my plan, too, for a solo trip in October around Friesland (11-cities route, which my Frisian grandpa used to skate!). I am in that tricky stage of planning where I am trying to decide where NOT to go once I finish exploring Friesland; so many lovely places to explore, and I am a 68 year old adventurer with no long distance biking under my belt. But hey, my spring Camino was also a first and it was beyond wonderful, so why not? Loved Phil’s comment about tucking your head down and just keeping on, as the Dutch do. This video was absolutely stunning-and yes, honest and realistic. I will figure out the logistics about bike rental and panniers somehow, meet the challenges head on, just as the young ones here did. Thanks, everyone.
So nice to regonize all those citys. Love the drone-views to. I love cycling; did a lot of trips in the Netherlands. With and without kids. I can feel the joy and freedom looking at your video
Awesome video! As someone else has already commented…I’ve also seen many videos on biking in the Netherlands and this one is one of the best. I will do this someday…soon!!!
This is made so well! And a different route then most bike travels trough the Netherlands, not only the obvious. So compliments for the quality of the video, the story and the route!
This looks really fun and very enjoyable. I wasn't expecting so much heat nor wind! Beautifully edited film which shows a good mix of the landscape,experiences and with just the right level of commentary,thanks!
some very good cinematic, editing skills / talent at display here...hobby, or is this your profession or what you study for ? also flattered by your portrayal of 'my' Netherlands.
Thank you, the dutch landscape was so beautiful. We stayed motivated by always breaking down our big days through small manageable goals. This included stops at bakeries or sightseeing spots that made you focus on the journey and never the destination. Food was always the best motivator. Thanks for commenting!
It's a brave way to travel. Needing to have a time limit and bike packing is a thing. I would rather spend my time on the journey itself, than needing to focus on when to finish and where. Therefor my hat of, great journey done. Thank you for uploading.
Thanks for taking the time to comment! A time limit does change the type of adventure but it is all the same in the end. It's not about the time but rather what you do with it what matters?
@@philsfilms We're building many tourist bikeways. You can search for: Bikeway del Mincio from Peschiera del Garda on Garda Lake to Mantova. Bikeway Vicenza - Padova Bikeway Treviso - Ostiglia Bikeway Jesolo - Cavallino just to name some. These are mainly in northern Italy. Besides these you can ride on secondary country roads with beautiful scenery and few cars. Just an example: (with English subs) ruclips.net/video/s-nNN7xiTVA/видео.html . Bike culture in strong only in some areas, only 30% of Italy is plain so riding in central Italy can be challenging, but I'm sure we're at the dawn of a new era ^_^
Expertly shot and edited video in every aspect, kudos ! Nice to see young folk not shying away from a little excersize on vacation, and being rewarded for it.
It's been on my mind to return to The Netherlands (from the US) to do something like this and so I really appreciate the honest narrative of your experience -- it was incredible but not *easy* :) The logistics feel a bit more challenging with traveling from so far and having never done something like this! It'd be amazing to share your experience as a first-timer and your gear list/learning experiences -- what was helpful/what was excess weight -- and would you do something like this solo? I know there are formal bike tours but the cost is so prohibitive that I'd like to do it more this style with maybe a mix of camping/Airbnbs. I wish the US had these kinds of bike trail systems so I could try it somewhere closer haha.
Experienced Dutch bikepacker here. The essentials arent that much. For two people, you will need your tent, small hammer for the tent pegs, (they are mandatory, on account of the wind) 2 sleeping bags, 2 foam mats, a pan, a camping gas burner, bike repair kit, a map of the bike routes, your Garmin or other GPS device, and youre basically good to go. Oh, and dont forget to buy sunscreen when you get here! There are usually stores at or near campsites so you can buy fresh food every day, you wont need to bring MREs if you dont want to, although it can be convenient, especially for breakfast. Its also nice to have something to read in the evenings, so I would advise to bring a couple of books or an e-reader. In the summer the sun goes down at 11 PM because of how far up north we are (same latitude as Newfoundland) so you will have a lot of long hours in the evening and youll need something to entertain yourself with. Going to bed early wont be much of an option. Campsites often have a little bookcase where you can exchange books when youve finished reading them, but most of them will of course be in Dutch so I dont know how much help that will be. Its important to plan out your day trips from campsite to campsite. You cant just pitch your tent anywhere like you can in countries with right to roam like Sweden, you have to stay at a campsite. There are plenty of them all over the place, but they can be fully booked in the summer season, so you will need to make some reservations beforehand or pick nature campsites that dont get much traffic. Facilities can vary, some campsites are just a farmers field, only have a bathroom building with cold running water and no electricity. Others have restaurants and swimming pools and all sorts of entertainment. Do your research and plan to stay at campsites that suit your preference. If they have lots of facilities, expect lots of people with screaming kids and young people playing loud music and drinking beer all day. So I would recommend the nature campsites for a bike trip, but it depends, maybe you want some more luxury. And try to go some different places, you can take your bike on the train outside of rush hour (which is from 6:30 to 9 AM and from 4 to 6:30 PM on weekdays) with a bike ticket that costs 7 euro, so you can bike around one province for a few days and then grab a train to a completely different area. The country has a lot of different biomes, the north and west are very flat and have lots of water, but the center, east and south are hilly and are much more arid, especially in the hot summer months. We have lots of beautiful national parks and nature reserves that have bike routes through them so look up which ones you want to visit. Some of them are unique in all of Europe, the sand dunes along the coast, the wetlands, and the heath in the forests. The cities all have their distinct architecture so wherever you visit you will see something new, and if you decide to bike up or down the coast, you can inspect the delta works, its very impressive to bike over those massive locks and levies that keep our heads above water. Drone footage really doesnt capture the massive scale of it.
Absolute legend for providing all this information! It’s people like you that make posting videos like these so worth while. I hope other people find this message and find it useful. Appreciate you taking the time to share all the information!!!
Just rent an electric bike, I have lived here 25 years and have always cycled, but the wind is a killer, every Dutch person will tell you that no matter what direction you cycle in the wind is against you... it was the bane of my life, I was always against ebikes cos I thought of it as cheating, I got one last year to see what they were like and was immediately sold, I now got out cycle twice as much as I used too, for recreation rather than just how I got around, I can go further and see more, it has been great and seeing as I am not a kid anymore it has helped so much with staying in shape... best of luck to ya
The film’s pace and commentary somehow give this a timeless feel. A beautifully illustrated story book of an adventure and the grit it demands at times. Thank you for sharing! 🙏
Beautiful trip for sure. I need to do Europe soon, I'm 70. My 3 bikes are like that too, with IGH. And all have 1 or 2 SA dyno/ drum brakes. I see you borrowed those bikes from parents. Nexus 3 or 7 speed? My last bike came with the 7i, wheels now in the closet. Too bad those roller brakes are absolute BOAT anchors. That's why you went up hills SLOW. LOL. My SA XL-RD5w is awesome, did near 46 mph several times. My 120 lbs loaded tour bike has a Rohloff14 that gets better every ride. First 4,200 mile trip was Vietnam/ China in 2014.
Thats why we went up the hills so SLOW! Omg you can tell this was our first time bikepacking- so much to learn hahaha! Thank you for taking the time to share, you should go to Europe! Sounds like you got all the experience and knowledge to make it work. Wish you all the best on your travels!
beatifully filmed! Just curious? Are you Dutch? Because in the intro you say you want to experience Dutch culture? But later on you speak fluently Dutch? I'm confused
Yes very good question as I totally get the confusion! I am Dutch but I have lived overseas my whole life. So there are many parts of Dutch culture that I still haven't explored- which is why I say that :)
Lovely video, beautifully edited, best cycling promotional video for NL! I see you speak Dutch, what is the story behind that? Greetings from Beverwijk, Holland.
i live near Naarden in a village called Huizen, its nice to see people enjoy our beautifull country. you really made a great video, maybe one of the best in my opinion. i hope yopu have had a awesome time here in the Netherlands. and great pronounciation of goedemorgen BTW
I love Naarden! Both my parents are Dutch which is how I can speak it hhaha but my partner Kirsty is Australian! We both had an incredible time in the Netherlands. Thanks for taking the time to comment! :)
Thoroughly enjoyed that, the visuals pace and commentary. Cycled through (other areas of) the Netherlands, and parts of Belgium (cheating on the train in between), last autumn. Looks like there’s much more to see on another trip, and soon!
Nice one! The droneshots are awesome. I like that you brought bikes that the Dutch would use, rugged, comfortable and better suited to ride at an easy pace. Maybe that is why your trip took a little longer than planned, but all the better for it.
Exactly correct. The bikes made the journey feel far more relaxed. We met many people who were doing the trip in a couple of days- which is also fine- but they seemed far more rushed to 'tick off all the things'...
You need a sturdy bike to carry all your camping gear around. If you want to go on a race bike youll need to do a planned trip with a luggage transport service and that kind of takes the fun and spontaneity out of it.
Hi! Thank you so much for your video!! It is beautiful!!! I'm doing a one month bikepacking trip with my kids in the Netherlands this year and I have to confess that your experience kind of scared me ;-( it seems quite hard, the wind and all! How many kilometers did you bike per day? I hope to be reassured by knowing that you did a lot more than what we plan to do ;-)
Firstly thank you for taking the time to comment! To answer your question, YES, do it! It’s perfect for beginners, the wind is a challenge but the biking infrastructure makes it all very manageable. The Netherlands really isn’t that big, we only did 20km at the start and then once we hit halfway through our trip we picked up the distance doing max 40km in one day. We did so only because the summer heat was getting very intense, but we were happy taking our time at the start. We very much enjoyed the slow way of travelling and I can assure you the Netherlands is perfect for bikepacking.
Nice video and very well produced. Great music and well structured presentation. I was wondering about your bikes, did you rent and what type of bikes did you use. The tent looks warm, what type of tent. thanks for posting. all the best on your next adventure.
Firstly, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts! Appreciate the kind words :) We actually just borrowed my parents bikes! Super heavy and would not recommend for bikepacking but we made do with what we had and thanks to the dutch cycling paths and flat landscape the bikes were not a problem. The tent we got off market place at it was north face tent but I wouldn't recommend it because it took up so much space. I'd go for a minimal setup and just invest in a good sleeping bag. Hope this helps!
Wow man. could be a national-tv-quality movie. (Nederland dus). I did a bicycle trip last year via Hanze-steden en flevopolder. 2 different landscapes. but windy. Thanks for the video
Brilliant, I cycle in the Netherlands every year from the U.K. We take the overnight ferry from North Shields to Ijmuiden. 7 of us the oldest is 87 and the youngest is 70.
Absolutely inspiring stuff! Wow, do you post any photos of your journey? I know people who would watch this video would love to see more! I'll pin this so you can share more.
I saw a lot of bikepacking in The Netherlands videos. This is absolutely the best one and it deserves much more views!
agreed, amazing camera work
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts- super motivating to see how the video comes across. If you did enjoy it, it always helps when people share it with their friends!
I was busy watching the video, until I suddenly realized: The quality of this video is amazing! By which I mean the editing, the music, the narration, the pace, the change from scene to scene. Wow!
Such kind words, thank you! Happy you enjoyed it! Makes it all the worthwhile :)
Late to the party, but... Fully in agreement on how well filmed and edited this video is.
And videos like this really do a great job at reminding me of how stunning my little country can be. It can be too easy to forget how beautiful a place is when you're surrounded by it every day and it just becomes 'normal'. Boring even, perhaps. We have no mountains, or grand forests, or canyons, or untamed whitewater rivers, or... Well, you get the point. It's easy to start seeing this country as overly cultivated, flat and boring. But seeing it captured by people who didn't grow up in these environments really drives home that this country can be, honestly, quite gorgeous.
Such kind words! Thank you for taking the time to share. The Netherlands is absolutely stunning and I am grateful you felt like you got to appreciate it. This is one of my main aims with filmmaking so it really warms my heart knowing my video hits the mark! Again thanks for commenting- helps a lot with being a smaller channel!
I'm 10 minutes into this. One observation: this looks professionally made. You got a talent for editing.
Thanks mate- much appreciated!
Cool, did I see Kessel?
Best travel vlog of the flat land of water and wind i’ve seen
Thanks mate, very much appreciated
Great video, thanks for sharing! In 2023 I completed a 611-km loop from Haarlem around the Zuiderzee and then south to Bruges with my older brother. As Canadian retirees with serious health issues, we too worried about fatigue. So worked with Holland Bike Tours on a route that kept our distances down to 50-70km/day, had us staying in three-star and four-star hotels in beautiful traffic-free old towns, and used a luggage transfer service to carry our bags. Very different price point vs bike packing, but what an utterly amazing trip! We love everything about the Netherlands - the friendly people, the scenery your film captures so well, the cycling culture, the many thousands of kilometers of safe bike paths separated from traffic, the historic fortresses and castles, the pedestrianized waterfront promenades lined with cafes, the farmland, polders, canals, lakes, beaches, sand dunes, and on and on. Best cycling country on earth! After watching your video I can’t wait to get back…
Wow it sounds like you had an incredible trip from Zuiderzee to Bruges with your brother! Amazing that despite your serious health issues you pushed on- not many people would put themselves in that position. And it sounds like it was worth it with what you saw. Happy my video sparked some of that joy and hopefully you get to do another trip like it! Thanks for taking the time to share :)
We always love having Canadians over! Say hi to my cousins over there hehehe
I'm 6 minutes into this and fully agree: professionally made and the scenes are perfectly edited. Bravo!
Much appreciated!
Advice to anyone planning to replicate this trip. Go the other way, have the prevailing winds behind you. (Lovely video, btw.)
I'd actually say it worked in our favour! The start when we were heading north was the real problem but for most of the journey we were going with the wind!
You’re right. Best thing one can do is to start in Zeeland and finish in Groningen. At least when the wind is an issue for you.
While watching your video I asked myself why we mostly go abroad for a vacation. My country is so beautiful; it deserves more attention from me😊
This one definately deserves more views, well made!
Thank you Anne! Sharing it with your friends helps the video grow! 🎶
Stunning footage; PRACHTIG dank je wel 🇳🇱🌷🌷🌷
Damn, that is outstanding videography and scoring of your wonderful adventures!
Thank you so much for the kind words :)
The Netherlands is men made. Its a testament too what people can create if they work together.
Beautiful cinematography and story telling. Well done on completing the journey!
Thank you!
I am currently preparing for my bike trip to Belgium and Netherlands from UK next month and somehow the algorithm brings me to this video.... Gotta say this is a masterpiece. Everything you put in this video is beautiful.
Hahahaha love to see the algorithm work! Wish you all the best on your trip! Where can people follow along to join? Also thanks for the kind words!
This is the best Netherlands video we have seen, you absolutely captured the essence of Netherlands. We just came back from a summer holiday there and already wanted to go back again.
I wish you can share your bike route, or how did you plan your route? Thanks :)
@@PhilippaSin thank you for the kind words! It is a beautiful country! We made our route on the fly. The only thing we considered was starting north and ending south.
The quality of this video is actually really impressive!
Cheers mate!
Wow, wow, wow, absolutely beautiful video 👍👍. While watching it, it came into my mind that this is poetry by video. You visualized the poem "Herinnering aan Holland".
Appreciate the kind words!
The shot with the beer put the biggest smile on my face ! Thanks for the impressive production!
Happy to hear it!
I loved every single frame of this video, it's so calm, soothing, and satisfying 💙
Glad you enjoyed it as much as I had making it!
As a Dutchman, this was really funny. Hearing things like "the terrain was rough", "afraid of punctures" or taking two full weeks to get from Groningen to the coast. Cool to see a different perspective.
@@baeuy happy to hear it! It was a joy and though it took two weeks it made us appreciate every detail on the way instead of speeding it!
I rarely comment on anything. I wanted to drop a line to let you know I really enjoyed this film. You have a very peaceful style that is captivating to watch. One thing that stood out was the music selection. Great choices and taste.
I appreciate you taking the time to comment. It really makes a difference reading a comment like this, so thank you greatly! I put a lot of effort into my music choice, sometimes it takes days to choose one... so I am happy it doesn't go unnoticed!
Thank you for this magnificent production, I was born in The Netherlands, our parents emigrated to Australia in 1951. I went back on a working holiday back in the 1960s and stayed quite a while, I loved it, but the biking infrastructure then wasn't as incredibly good as it is today. Thanks again for the great work.
Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for taking the time to share your journey.
The wind is why we have strong long legs 🤣. Love the drone footage wel done. Greetings from Groningen.
Hahaha spot on.
this is the most beautiful thing i have seen, i was hopeless about my life and purpose. Now i have found my purpose
thanks man❤
Go and get it! Thanks for taking the time to comment :) Wish you all the best.
Well, that was an easy fix.
now why do i feel like i gotta do a bike trip now... such a great video!!
That was the intent! Thanks for the kind words :)
This was excellent. In 200 years, this will be used as the perfect time capsule capturing a country that has since long been drowned by the ocean.
Hey! Don't underestimate us
I just came back from an eighth day bicycle trip from the Hague to maastricht and back. We (me and my sister) used frienden op the fiets (friends on bikes) to stay at various people's homes. We had wind, rain but most of all a beautiful 600 km bike ride through the Dutch country side (and part off Belgium).
Epic, sounds like a full adventure 🌞
So great to read your comment re: Frienden op de fiets. That is my plan, too, for a solo trip in October around Friesland (11-cities route, which my Frisian grandpa used to skate!). I am in that tricky stage of planning where I am trying to decide where NOT to go once I finish exploring Friesland; so many lovely places to explore, and I am a 68 year old adventurer with no long distance biking under my belt. But hey, my spring Camino was also a first and it was beyond wonderful, so why not? Loved Phil’s comment about tucking your head down and just keeping on, as the Dutch do. This video was absolutely stunning-and yes, honest and realistic. I will figure out the logistics about bike rental and panniers somehow, meet the challenges head on, just as the young ones here did. Thanks, everyone.
Very well made video!
Goedemorgen, prachtige reis! Bedankt hiervoor!
Bedankt!
So nice to regonize all those citys. Love the drone-views to. I love cycling; did a lot of trips in the Netherlands. With and without kids. I can feel the joy and freedom looking at your video
Thank you for the kind words!
Awesome video! As someone else has already commented…I’ve also seen many videos on biking in the Netherlands and this one is one of the best. I will do this someday…soon!!!
Glad you enjoyed it! Feel free to send it to others, helps with the reach! Thanks for leaving a kind comment :)
Gorgeous, I was there for a few moments. Thanks guys!
How wonderful was it!
this is so nice to watch, thank you
The best kind of cycling. And you did the Bep Glasius!
This is made so well! And a different route then most bike travels trough the Netherlands, not only the obvious. So compliments for the quality of the video, the story and the route!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment!!
Goedemorgen what a beautiful video!
hahah! Thanks :)
Beautiful country and the people, nice video
Yes they are!
Seeing this nicely edited vlog, makes me love my country even more.
Happy to hear that!
Just came across this gem by chance... the cinemographic images, beautiful music, reflective thoughts, I thoroughly enjoyed this video!
@@antonquist3779 thank you for the kind words, happy you enjoyed it!
This looks really fun and very enjoyable. I wasn't expecting so much heat nor wind! Beautifully edited film which shows a good mix of the landscape,experiences and with just the right level of commentary,thanks!
Thank you for the kinds words! Happy you enjoyed it!
Temperatures can go up to 40 C in the summer. Wind and rain, well, thats gonna happen every day.
this is the best biking video I have ever seen it made me so emotional and I don't know why
Thank you for the kind words! Probably a sign you are yearning for an adventure, hope to see your video!
some very good cinematic, editing skills / talent at display here...hobby, or is this your profession or what you study for ?
also flattered by your portrayal of 'my' Netherlands.
Thanks mate, it started out as hobby but now I work as a videographer in Melbourne!
Beautifully scored. You found some great pieces there.
Thanks mate!
One thing I like the most about camping in European countries is that it's safe. Everyone is educated
I like it when people enjoy the my country.
Ah zo fijne film! Prachtig gemaakt! En ja wat een mooi land is het ook, leuk en inspirerend om te zien! Ik krijg zin om naar huis te gaan :D
Thank you!!
it's refreshing to see my own country trough this lens, very well done!
Thank you for the kind words :)
As a cycling enthusiast, I appreciate the beautiful landscapes you captured! 🚵♀️ How do you stay motivated during long rides
Thank you, the dutch landscape was so beautiful. We stayed motivated by always breaking down our big days through small manageable goals. This included stops at bakeries or sightseeing spots that made you focus on the journey and never the destination. Food was always the best motivator. Thanks for commenting!
Beautifully made, love it. 👍💪
Thank you! Cheers!
This is so satisfying and cinematic to see your video
Thank you!
Lovely video
@@wm7195 thank you!
It's a brave way to travel. Needing to have a time limit and bike packing is a thing. I would rather spend my time on the journey itself, than needing to focus on when to finish and where. Therefor my hat of, great journey done. Thank you for uploading.
Thanks for taking the time to comment! A time limit does change the type of adventure but it is all the same in the end. It's not about the time but rather what you do with it what matters?
I'm late to this, but the EDITING. OMFG.
Never too late- thanks legend!
Bravo you all made it and did well and hopefully more adventures will follow. Cheers from Oregon USA.
Yes indeed!
Amazing job. Great shooting, great editing. Greetings from Italy
Thanks for the kind words! Maybe Italy should be next on our list...hows it biking there?
@@philsfilms We're building many tourist bikeways. You can search for: Bikeway del Mincio from Peschiera del Garda on Garda Lake to Mantova.
Bikeway Vicenza - Padova
Bikeway Treviso - Ostiglia
Bikeway Jesolo - Cavallino just to name some. These are mainly in northern Italy. Besides these you can ride on secondary country roads with beautiful scenery and few cars. Just an example: (with English subs) ruclips.net/video/s-nNN7xiTVA/видео.html . Bike culture in strong only in some areas, only 30% of Italy is plain so riding in central Italy can be challenging, but I'm sure we're at the dawn of a new era ^_^
Wow, quite an achievement! And amazing job on the filming and editing!❤ beautifully done, I am in love with my own country 😀
@@ericavantilburg6252 and what a wonderful country it is 🌞
Absolutely lovely cinematography you got there mate. Loved seeing the country through your eyes.
And damnnnn it makes me yearn for summer.
Thanks mate, appreciate the kind words! And how it makes me miss Dutch summer 🎶
Wow this is great. Amazing video and so peaceful ❤❤❤❤
Thank you! Happy you thought it was peaceful :)
Expertly shot and edited video in every aspect, kudos !
Nice to see young folk not shying away from a little excersize on vacation, and being rewarded for it.
Thank you!! Appreciate the kind words and yes a bit of exercise makes it all the more enjoyable
It's been on my mind to return to The Netherlands (from the US) to do something like this and so I really appreciate the honest narrative of your experience -- it was incredible but not *easy* :) The logistics feel a bit more challenging with traveling from so far and having never done something like this! It'd be amazing to share your experience as a first-timer and your gear list/learning experiences -- what was helpful/what was excess weight -- and would you do something like this solo? I know there are formal bike tours but the cost is so prohibitive that I'd like to do it more this style with maybe a mix of camping/Airbnbs. I wish the US had these kinds of bike trail systems so I could try it somewhere closer haha.
Experienced Dutch bikepacker here. The essentials arent that much. For two people, you will need your tent, small hammer for the tent pegs, (they are mandatory, on account of the wind) 2 sleeping bags, 2 foam mats, a pan, a camping gas burner, bike repair kit, a map of the bike routes, your Garmin or other GPS device, and youre basically good to go. Oh, and dont forget to buy sunscreen when you get here!
There are usually stores at or near campsites so you can buy fresh food every day, you wont need to bring MREs if you dont want to, although it can be convenient, especially for breakfast.
Its also nice to have something to read in the evenings, so I would advise to bring a couple of books or an e-reader. In the summer the sun goes down at 11 PM because of how far up north we are (same latitude as Newfoundland) so you will have a lot of long hours in the evening and youll need something to entertain yourself with. Going to bed early wont be much of an option. Campsites often have a little bookcase where you can exchange books when youve finished reading them, but most of them will of course be in Dutch so I dont know how much help that will be.
Its important to plan out your day trips from campsite to campsite. You cant just pitch your tent anywhere like you can in countries with right to roam like Sweden, you have to stay at a campsite. There are plenty of them all over the place, but they can be fully booked in the summer season, so you will need to make some reservations beforehand or pick nature campsites that dont get much traffic. Facilities can vary, some campsites are just a farmers field, only have a bathroom building with cold running water and no electricity. Others have restaurants and swimming pools and all sorts of entertainment. Do your research and plan to stay at campsites that suit your preference.
If they have lots of facilities, expect lots of people with screaming kids and young people playing loud music and drinking beer all day. So I would recommend the nature campsites for a bike trip, but it depends, maybe you want some more luxury.
And try to go some different places, you can take your bike on the train outside of rush hour (which is from 6:30 to 9 AM and from 4 to 6:30 PM on weekdays) with a bike ticket that costs 7 euro, so you can bike around one province for a few days and then grab a train to a completely different area. The country has a lot of different biomes, the north and west are very flat and have lots of water, but the center, east and south are hilly and are much more arid, especially in the hot summer months.
We have lots of beautiful national parks and nature reserves that have bike routes through them so look up which ones you want to visit. Some of them are unique in all of Europe, the sand dunes along the coast, the wetlands, and the heath in the forests.
The cities all have their distinct architecture so wherever you visit you will see something new, and if you decide to bike up or down the coast, you can inspect the delta works, its very impressive to bike over those massive locks and levies that keep our heads above water. Drone footage really doesnt capture the massive scale of it.
Absolute legend for providing all this information! It’s people like you that make posting videos like these so worth while. I hope other people find this message and find it useful. Appreciate you taking the time to share all the information!!!
Just rent an electric bike, I have lived here 25 years and have always cycled, but the wind is a killer, every Dutch person will tell you that no matter what direction you cycle in the wind is against you... it was the bane of my life, I was always against ebikes cos I thought of it as cheating, I got one last year to see what they were like and was immediately sold, I now got out cycle twice as much as I used too, for recreation rather than just how I got around, I can go further and see more, it has been great and seeing as I am not a kid anymore it has helped so much with staying in shape... best of luck to ya
Don't forget that we have 240 Volts here, in case you want to charge your phone.
The film’s pace and commentary somehow give this a timeless feel. A beautifully illustrated story book of an adventure and the grit it demands at times. Thank you for sharing! 🙏
Thanks for the kind words!
Love the color grading 🍭 🌈 🎨
Thanks!
Thankyou for sharing your journey with such a greatest & honest perspective. I could see & feel the gratitude.
I am very grateful. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment :)
Heel moie. Great photography. We must go back to Nederaland.
It is entertaining to watch because of the super talented editing skills and yet simple narrative story. Gefeleciteerd. Goed gedaan.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the kind words!
Your best one yet!!! Love this!!!!
My number one supporter here 🍿
Beautifully made. Gives me heimwee.
Thank you!!
Very well put together 👍.
Thank you :)
This was amazing! Thank you for sharing ;-)
I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts!!
Awesome ❤
Great video! I can't wait for spring so the weather becomes better again for cycling
Yes! I’m still reminiscing :)
Beautiful, soul touching. The constraints of comfort are not adventures friend. Well done.
Well said!
Very Nice images. Compliments!
Many thanks!
Beautiful trip for sure. I need to do Europe soon, I'm 70. My 3 bikes are like that too, with IGH. And all have 1 or 2 SA dyno/ drum brakes.
I see you borrowed those bikes from parents. Nexus 3 or 7 speed? My last bike came with the 7i, wheels now in the closet.
Too bad those roller brakes are absolute BOAT anchors. That's why you went up hills SLOW. LOL.
My SA XL-RD5w is awesome, did near 46 mph several times.
My 120 lbs loaded tour bike has a Rohloff14 that gets better every ride. First 4,200 mile trip was Vietnam/ China in 2014.
Thats why we went up the hills so SLOW! Omg you can tell this was our first time bikepacking- so much to learn hahaha! Thank you for taking the time to share, you should go to Europe! Sounds like you got all the experience and knowledge to make it work. Wish you all the best on your travels!
Prachtig geschoten film
Thank you :)
Best Holland Cut Composition Movie dear Philip (: The Netherlands will love you, as I do now ;) #thnks4share ((:
Thanks mate appreciate the kind words!!
beatifully filmed! Just curious? Are you Dutch? Because in the intro you say you want to experience Dutch culture? But later on you speak fluently Dutch? I'm confused
I have the same question
Yes very good question as I totally get the confusion! I am Dutch but I have lived overseas my whole life. So there are many parts of Dutch culture that I still haven't explored- which is why I say that :)
Very well done! It makes me as a Dutchman, wanna go bikepacking in my own country 😊
I'm excited to see your video ;)
@@philsfilms First watching all your other video’s. So that I know how it’s done perfectly ;)
Lovely video, beautifully edited, best cycling promotional video for NL! I see you speak Dutch, what is the story behind that? Greetings from Beverwijk, Holland.
Glad you enjoyed it! Both my parents are Dutch but I grew up overseas in Hong Kong! Thanks for watching :)
You are my new favorite vlogger
why thank youuu! Happy you enjoy the videos!
Awesome trip thanks for making video
My pleasure 😊
OMG how do you not have many subsribers? Your vid is so crisp and clean!
Thank you so much for the kind words! You can help by sharing the video! :)
i live near Naarden in a village called Huizen, its nice to see people enjoy our beautifull country. you really made a great video, maybe one of the best in my opinion. i hope yopu have had a awesome time here in the Netherlands. and great pronounciation of goedemorgen BTW
I love Naarden! Both my parents are Dutch which is how I can speak it hhaha but my partner Kirsty is Australian! We both had an incredible time in the Netherlands. Thanks for taking the time to comment! :)
You have been lucky with the weather!
Extremely …
Thoroughly enjoyed that, the visuals pace and commentary. Cycled through (other areas of) the Netherlands, and parts of Belgium (cheating on the train in between), last autumn. Looks like there’s much more to see on another trip, and soon!
Thanks for the kind words! Sounds like you had an epic trip as well, do you have photos on ur Insta?
Great video, good shots and inspiring words. Congratulations
Glad you enjoyed it!
Love the video. I hope I can do the bikepacking one day :)
I hope you find the way!
Great trip, Phil - especially love the drone shots.
Cheers Geoff, glad you enjoyed it!
Nice one! The droneshots are awesome. I like that you brought bikes that the Dutch would use, rugged, comfortable and better suited to ride at an easy pace. Maybe that is why your trip took a little longer than planned, but all the better for it.
Exactly correct. The bikes made the journey feel far more relaxed. We met many people who were doing the trip in a couple of days- which is also fine- but they seemed far more rushed to 'tick off all the things'...
You need a sturdy bike to carry all your camping gear around. If you want to go on a race bike youll need to do a planned trip with a luggage transport service and that kind of takes the fun and spontaneity out of it.
Your Dutch is very good. Where did you learn that?
@@ronaldderooij1774 my parents are Dutch!
Hi! Thank you so much for your video!! It is beautiful!!! I'm doing a one month bikepacking trip with my kids in the Netherlands this year and I have to confess that your experience kind of scared me ;-( it seems quite hard, the wind and all! How many kilometers did you bike per day? I hope to be reassured by knowing that you did a lot more than what we plan to do ;-)
Firstly thank you for taking the time to comment! To answer your question, YES, do it! It’s perfect for beginners, the wind is a challenge but the biking infrastructure makes it all very manageable. The Netherlands really isn’t that big, we only did 20km at the start and then once we hit halfway through our trip we picked up the distance doing max 40km in one day. We did so only because the summer heat was getting very intense, but we were happy taking our time at the start. We very much enjoyed the slow way of travelling and I can assure you the Netherlands is perfect for bikepacking.
@@philsfilms thanks for the encouragement 🙂
Nice video and very well produced. Great music and well structured presentation. I was wondering about your bikes, did you rent and what type of bikes did you use. The tent looks warm, what type of tent. thanks for posting. all the best on your next adventure.
Firstly, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts! Appreciate the kind words :)
We actually just borrowed my parents bikes! Super heavy and would not recommend for bikepacking but we made do with what we had and thanks to the dutch cycling paths and flat landscape the bikes were not a problem. The tent we got off market place at it was north face tent but I wouldn't recommend it because it took up so much space. I'd go for a minimal setup and just invest in a good sleeping bag.
Hope this helps!
@@philsfilms thanks the bikes looks solid and well made. cheers
If that at 1:10 is your garage, then that will be the cleanest en emptiest garage I've ever seen. Btw beautiful editing...
Hahahah! Yes it’s a shared garage, and that was the main area. Thanks for kind words :)
I think you should send your video to some Indie film contests.
Got any recommendations!
Wow man. could be a national-tv-quality movie. (Nederland dus). I did a bicycle trip last year via Hanze-steden en flevopolder. 2 different landscapes. but windy. Thanks for the video
Thank you for the kind words! Got any videos on your bicycle trip? I’d love to see them, always looking for inspiration :)
@philsfilms I got some pictures. I could make it a slideshow
Really nice footage and editing!
Thanks a lot! Glad you enjoyed it!!
jou filmmaking is zo goedt. het kleuren en editing is favoriet mijn! werkt zuper goedt!
Thank you very much!
very nice views 🎉
Thank you very much!
❤ very nice cycling travel tour👍❤🌐😎🇵🇭
Thank you!