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Wadden Sea 8-day Sail and Bike island-hopping Tour (LFF)
Sail and bike tours are something very special. Feel the freedom, the wind and salt on your skin! It’s a little bit like discovering the seas and new areas as a modern-day explorer. Aboard one of the most comfortable sailing ships, you will experience pure nature while enjoying water, sun and a stiff breeze on the big inland lake IJsselmeer and the so-called “Wadden Sea”, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage biosphere reserve. During this Sail and Bike tour, you can explore the beautiful and unique Frisian Sea and some of its islands. It is a world with two faces, where sand and water dominate during the changeover from low to high tide and where islands of all sizes line up like pearls on a chain. There are tidal channels, seagrass meadows, mussel beds, sandbanks, mudflats, salt marshes, beaches and dunes.
The Frisian Sea is the habitat of marine mammals, such as seals and porpoises, and the breeding ground and wintering area for millions of birds. The area is one of the last remaining large-scale, low-tide ecosystems where natural processes continue to function. Furthermore, you will visit the famous (freshwater lake) IJsselmeer and its beautiful coastline with many fishing villages and old trading harbour towns.
The sailing ship made its maiden voyage for Sail & Bike tours in spring 2018 and is managed by its owner-operators, Joris and Rinske de Wit. In winter 2023-’24, in a quite unique operation, the large sailing vessel was cut into two pieces and extended by a new section of 14 meters (approx. 46 ft.). Also, an additional fourth mast was installed. This will make the Leafde Fan Fryslân the only four-masted-schooner in Dutch waters. The interior of this luxury ship can best be described as refined .On the lower deck, the Leafde fan Fryslân has sixteen well-appointed cabins. Twelve twin cabins (10 m² – 107 sq.ft.) and one smaller twin cabin (9 m² – 96.8 sq.ft.), with two single beds, which can be set together in most cabins, one junior suite (12 m² – 129 sq.ft.) with two single beds, which can be set together and a small sitting area and two single cabins (7 m² – 75 sq.ft.). Two of the twin cabins can be booked as a three-bed cabin (the third bed as bunk).
On the upper deck there are 4 magnificent suites (18 m² – 193 sq.ft.) with two separate beds, set next to each other as a hotel style bed (200 x 190 cm – 78 x 74 inches), a cozy sitting area, a TV, a double glass door and small private balcony.
All cabins/suites have an en-suite bathroom with shower, toilet and basin, air-conditioning, a hairdryer, a mini safe and a 230-Volt socket. The cabins have portholes and/or a hatch that can be opened.
A little bit of adventure is a part of every Sail and Bike tour: the departure/arrival day and the location Enkhuizen are a certainty, 100%. The planned daily sailing routes are partially dependent on the strength and direction of the winds and on the Wadden Seas high and low tide. The skipper decides the best route to be taken day by day, and discusses the options with his guests. The crew does everything in its power to enable the program to run according to plan and to offer you as fascinating, varied and active week as possible, in which nature and culture play a major part. It is, however, also possible that departure times and the time spent on the water and even the order of the program itself may be adjusted. Enjoy the ride and let yourself be led by the elements! Whenever possible, various passages will be undertaken fully rigged and anyone who would like to help the crew to sail and steer the boat is welcome to do so. This is of course absolutely up to you and no sailing experience is necessary.
If you would like to rent a Bike (98 EUR) or E-bike (273 EUR) helmet (10 EUR), please contact our office when booking: sales@slowtours.com
Slow Tours offers other Sail & Bike tours in Europe
Enkhuizen
Embarkation and check-in where the crew will welcome you onboard is from 2pm near the beautiful centre of Enkhuizen and close to the railway station. After unpacking your luggage the skipper will join you for an aperitif before giving you a rundown of what to expect on the journey, details about the ship and also about safety measures to be taken on board. In the evening take a stroll through the historical centre of Enkhuizen, a quaint town that was the home of the Dutch merchant fleet during the Golden Age of The Netherlands. Enjoy your first night onboard in Enkhuizen on the western bank of the lake IJsselmeer.
Enkhuizen – Medemblik 24km or 37km | sailing Medemblik – Den Oever – Texel
Today you can cycle the first leg of the trip along the IJsselmeer coast through the beautiful polder landscape to Medemblik. After the cycling tour, the ship will sail further to Den Oever. Depending on the weather in the evening the ship will take the lock and sail across the Wadden Sea (part of the North Sea) to the island of Texel.
Texel, roundtrip from/to Oudeschild 43km or 49km
The island of Texel is a cyclist’s dream destination with its varied scenery, well-signposted cycle tracks and picturesque villages. Our suggestion is to complete a round trip cycling tour of the largest of the Dutch North Sea islands that takes you via a number of villages, the seal sanctuary station “Ecomare” and a traditional beer brewery near the harbour of Oudeschild.
Texel – Terschelling | sailing about 5 – 6 hrs
Today you will enjoy sailing on your ship, when the tide and the weather are right to the island of Terschelling. As you sail your way through the sandbanks of the Wadden Sea keep a lookout for seals on the sandbars. In the afternoon the ship will arrive on Terschelling island, which features a number of picturesque villages situated between the polder and sand dunes along its 30km expanse. While sailing you will enjoy an extensive lunch on board. No dinner will be served tonight, to enable you to explore the island, but you can make yourself a picnic meal or try one of the beautiful restaurants at Terschelling (not incl.).
Terschelling roundtrip | cycling distance of your choice | sailing Terschelling – Harlingen
While the previous day was all about sailing, today is all about cycling. Terschelling has plenty to offer cycle tourists: nature and culture, 70km of cycling tracks and 4 beautiful villages. West Terschelling is the largest village on the island and features a number of lovely shops and pubs. The standout landmark on the island is the 400-year-old lighthouse “Brandaris” that can be seen from well off in the distance. Also worth visiting is the heathland of “Boschplaat” which will captivate you with its mud, beaches and dunes. You might even spot ducks, black-winged stilts, large colonies of spoonbills and great black-backed gulls. After a day of cycling, you can relax in comfort once you have arrived back on board. In the late afternoon the ship will cross the Wadden Sea and sail to Harlingen, the most important harbour city of the province of Friesland.
Harlingen – Franeker – Makkum 48km or 58km
Via Franeker, with the famous planetarium of Eise Eisinga, you cycle through the beautiful wide Frisian countryside along several rural villages to the small harbour of Makkum on the eastern bank of the lake IJsselmeer. If you take the long cycling trip, you will also visit Bolsward, one of the Eleven Frisian Cities.
Makkum – Stavoren 32km or 49km | sailing to Enkhuizen
From Makkum you will cycle to Stavoren. The short tour leads you via the old trading town of Hindeloopen. This local art of painting a type of traditional decorative painting is quite famous. Apart from this, you’ll find the First Frisian Museum of Ice Skating in Hindeloopen. The long tour runs along several Frisian lakes and shows you a different type of landscape. From Stavoren the ship will set sail to cross the IJsselmeer to Enkhuizen in the late afternoon.
Enkhuizen
End of your tour: Disembarkation after breakfast until 9.30am.
The planned itinerary is subject to change due to nautical, technical or meteorological reasons and other unforeseen circumstances. If there is low or high water and a route cannot be shipped, the captain reserves the right to change the route in view of your safety (this cannot be accepted as a reason for free withdrawal).
Tours marked with are special prices.
| Start | End | Max. No. Guests | Accommodation | Price p.p. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 04 2027 | Jul 11 2027 | 38 | Single rooms | 1,999€ | ||
| Double rooms | 1,699€ | |||||
| Jul 11 2027 | Jul 18 2027 | 38 | Single rooms | 1,999€ | ||
| Double rooms | 1,699€ | |||||
| Jul 18 2027 | Jul 25 2027 | 38 | Single rooms | 1,999€ | ||
| Double rooms | 1,699€ | |||||
| Jul 25 2027 | Aug 01 2027 | 38 | Single rooms | 1,999€ | ||
| Double rooms | 1,699€ | |||||
| Aug 08 2027 | Aug 15 2027 | 38 | Single rooms | 1,999€ | ||
| Double rooms | 1,699€ | |||||
| Aug 15 2027 | Aug 22 2027 | 38 | Single rooms | 1,999€ | ||
| Double rooms | 1,699€ | |||||
| Aug 22 2027 | Aug 29 2027 | 38 | Single rooms | 1,999€ | ||
| Double rooms | 1,699€ | |||||
| Aug 29 2027 | Sep 05 2027 | 38 | Single rooms | 1,999€ | ||
| Double rooms | 1,699€ |
If you would like to drive yourself before or after your tour, ask us for a quote on any brand new Renault, Peugeot or Citroen vehicle for driving in Europe.
Pick up your vehicle from most capital cities in Europe and return it to your drop off destination. Top insurance cover. Email info@slowtours.com for a competitive quote
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