I'd have liked to have taken more time today as I found some lovely spots but I'm always paranoid when catching transport and pushed on to ensure I was at the Ferry 3hours before sailing.
First off I had had a horrible night, with a nearby couple knocking on doors and talking loudly until 3am when I fell asleep. Only to be woken by a false fire alarm at 4am, as I descended the stairs I passed a guy all in black and a strong smell of a joint.
I wouldnt be surprised if he was the one making the noise and who set the alarm off.
So after an 8:30 breakfast I was on the road 30 minutes later than I planned at 9:45. It was a misty morning with little wind and good cycling. As I left Breda for the first time I overtook an aeroplane ... not to be outdone I also went past a Helicopter on the way into Rotterdam !
I rattled through Zevenberg at 10 miles and on to a great little village called Klundert which had boats, canals and bridges as well as an old Town Hall.
Next I crossed fields and followed a dyke along the Hollands Diep channel to Willemstad which was a marina village with typical dutch buildings.
I crossed the sluices and bridge whi h carried the cycle lanrs and a huge 3 lane motorway alongside.
An extremelly fast dash across the next Polder brought me to Heinenorn where I would cross the Oude Maas to Barendrecht and the outskirts of Rotterdam. To my surprise there was no bridge .. There was a Tunnel and I was across the Maas in about a minute !
I routed into Rotterdam on a longer route tgsn needed to hopefully see Feyenoords ground (which I didn't) but principally to cross the cable stay Erasmus Bridge.
My intention was toget a quick lunch near the Lighthouse .... but I couldnt even find the lighthouse, so once afain paranoid Inpressed on and decided to lunch at Schiedam which would only leave 12 miles to the ferry. I expected Schiedam to be a bit rough being out towards all the docks and industry and as I entered the town a row of shops were very run down and there eas a massage parlour and a sex shop ... this didnt bode well.
The centre of Schiedam however is really nice with small canals, huge windmills and colourful boats.
I found a fantastic cafe which was on the canal and it did all home made food - I had a cheese pastry and coffee.
I was in plenty time and possibly should have stayed longer ... but I wanted to get to the ferry !
Next I saw a sign in dutch which might have said Tunnel closed. I had to cross the Scheur in 6 miles at Maassluis, I checked my Garmin - If this was a tunnel and it was shut I had no other route, I would have to go back at least 10 miles to cross in Rotterdam, potentially turning the 12miles into 32 !
I appriached Maassluis and realised it was a ferry, I could see it on the other side and it set off when I was 1km away, so the timing was perfect.
6 miles later I was at the Ferry Port at 5pm ... ebty tine fir my 8pm crossing to Hull.