Utrecht – Tuesday 30 July
Our planned ride today was short, just 40 km, from Amersfoort to Utrecht. We had a lazy late morning start, and it was already getting hot by the time we were on our bikes. Our route went through Soesterberg, along some lovely green shady routes. We rode through a leafy suburb with many huge mansions just before we arrived in Utrecht – the area feels very prosperous.
I continue to be impressed by the cycling infrastructure in Netherlands, including in Utrecht. As we entered the city we crossed under a traffic interchange – with a three way bicycle underpass.
The Utrecht old city is beautiful, The Cathedral square and canals through the city are highlights. The canals are reminiscent of Amsterdam, with lots of narrow gabled houses. However they differ in having boat houses, sometimes with outdoor seating areas or even whole restaurants, right on the canal (below street level). It was a gorgeous afternoon, with lots of people around, some in canoes, in leisure cruisers on the canal, or at the restaurants.
Statue of St Willibrord (658-739), first bishop of Utrecht 
St Martins Cathedral 
Utrecht canal – with boat houses 
Outdoor urinal for men in a park – Kris declined my suggestion that he should try it! 
“Thinker on a Rock” statue
The cycle infrastructure is very well used – as can be seen in the picture below – a steady flow of bikes, and not a car in sight. All the cycle paths are easily distinguished, as they are red asphalt (low friction and easy to ride on!)
Busy Utrecht cycle paths 
Utrecht cycle infrastructure
We especially went to see the new Dafne Schipperbrug that we had seen on the internet. This cycle only bridge was built for commuters, to shorten the route across the river. The cycle way onto the bridge circles up around a school playground and over its roof – very cool. It was so hot that the children were not out on the open basketball court, but playing under the shaded area under the cycle way.
New cycle bridge – Dafne Schippersbrug 
Entry onto bridge, circling around school playground 
On Dafne Schippersbrug 
School basketball court, in middle of cycleway
Our hotel was once again a bit out of the inner city. This time we had an “apartment”, including a kitchen, so we bought a lasagna that we could heat in the oven and some salad. They expected us to store our bicycles outside the hotel again – we took a chance as our trip was almost at an end. We went for a walk around in the evening – to a nearby pub alongside a canal. There were a lot of people out and about socialising and enjoying the warm evening.
