Fancy a day out to get some fresh air, relax or recharge your batteries? Come and spend a day cycling on Texel! In this blog, we’ll give you some handy tips on travelling by public transport, hiring a bike at the ferry terminal and choosing a lovely route with some great stops along the way.

Travelling to Texel by public transport

Texel is easily accessible by public transport. Travel by train to Den Helder. From Den Helder station, take bus 33 towards the ferry terminal. There are two ways to make the crossing:

• On foot: ideal if you’re renting a bike on Texel.
• With your own bike: take your (electric) bike with you on public transport and on the ferry, and cycle straight away upon arrival on Texel.

Hiring a bike at the ferry

At Fietsverhuur Veerhaven, you can collect your bike right next to the ferry. Fietsverhuur Veerhaven has a wide range: from children’s bikes to electric bikes and from dog cargo bikes to parent/child tandems. Especially at weekends and during holidays, it’s a good idea to book your bike here in advance.

Off you go! 3 great routes

Once you’ve got your bike, the possibilities are endless. Texel has no fewer than 140 kilometres of cycle paths. Here’s some inspiration for three great routes:

1. To the lighthouse

This route takes you to the very tip of the island. Here you’ll immediately come across a real highlight: the lighthouse! If you cycle along the Wadden Sea, the outward journey takes about 1.5 hours. You can enjoy stunning sea views, various bird sanctuaries and other highlights such as Fort De Schans and Molen Het Noorden. On the way back, you can cycle via De Slufter and pay a visit to Den Burg. From Den Burg, it’s a 20-minute cycle back to the boat.

• Duration, excluding stops: 2.5–3 hours cycling
• Lunch tip: Restaurant Floris (Stuifweg 13, Oosterend)
• Stop: the lighthouse
• Stop: De Slufter
• Dinner tip: De 12 Balcken (Weverstraat 20, Den Burg)

2. Past three villages

Do you enjoy visiting villages? Then choose this route. From the boat, it’s a 20-minute cycle via a section of Vogelboulevard to Oudeschild. Here you can take a look around the harbour or relax on the Wadden Sea beach. From Oudeschild, it’s a 15-minute cycle to the centre of Den Burg, where you can enjoy some shopping or sit at a terrace. From Den Burg, cycle along the rural Hoornderweg to the third village: Den Hoorn. Cycle a little further to dine on the beach, or eat in Den Hoorn. From Den Hoorn, it’s a 12-minute cycle back to the boat.

• Duration, excluding stops: 1 hour cycling
• Lunch tip: Restaurant 't Pakhuus (Haven 8, Oudeschild)
• Stop: the Texel Brewery
• Stop: the centre of Den Burg
• Dinner tip: De Toegift (Klif 12) or Paal 9 (Hoornderslag 8
  

3. To the beach

The third route goes via Den Burg and De Koog towards the beach. From the ferry, cycle along a short stretch of Vogelboulevard to Den Burg. To do this, turn left at Fort De Schans. This way, you’ll take in a bit of Hoge Berg, and you won’t have to cycle along the busier Pontweg. From Den Burg, it takes about 20 minutes to cycle to De Koog. A pleasant route is via Kogerstraat, Nieuwlanderweg and Pijpersdijk. After your visit to De Koog, cycle along the edge of the woods and past Ecomare to the beach at Paal 17. From Paal 17, cycle through the Duinen van Texel National Park and past Den Hoorn, returning to the boat in about 40 minutes.

• Duration, excluding stops: 1.5 hours cycling
• Lunch tip: Oudeland Texel (Dorpsstraat 175, De Koog)
• Stopover: Ecomare
• Stopover: a walk on the beach at Paal 17
• Dinner tip: Strandpaviljoen Paal 17 aan Zee (Ruijslaan 94, De Koog)
  

Packing list

Don’t forget to bring the following items:

• Windbreaker – it’s rarely windless on Texel.
• Sunscreen – the sun just happens to shine a bit more often here.
• Binoculars – especially if you’re visiting the Vogelboulevard.
• Power bank – a fully charged battery comes in handy on public transport, for the route and, of course, for photos.
• Also, download the @texel app in advance for discounts at restaurants and shops.

Back home

Plan the final part of the route so that you are back at the ferry terminal in time to return your hire bike. This can be done until 9.00 pm at the latest, but you will of course need a little time to walk to the ferry and board. The last ferry departs from Texel at 9.00 pm. On the other side, take bus 33 back to Den Helder Station (get off on the right-hand side of the ferry for this). You’ll then catch the 9.34 pm train back towards Amsterdam, Utrecht and Nijmegen.

More cycling tips for Texel