Gouda to Zwammerdam. Gouwe / Oude Rijn.

The first hour or so out of Gouda, up (or down?), the Gouwe was a big snore. I'm amazed Skip managed to stay awake (I was doing sudoku). Things improved, though, once we made the turn into the Oude Rijn. 

About the only thing of interest on the Gouwe this morning was a series of these lifting bridges which can lift to 34m.

Remember, if you want to view bigger versions of the pictures, click on them.

We have come to at least two conclusions on this trip : 
1. Big canals are not for us and ... 
2. We are real bumpkins and don't like big towns either. Even Gouda was too 'big'. 

Jaws dropped when this came, backwards, through the Zwammerdam lift bridge and down the really quite narrow river.

We found a lovely mooring in the village of Zwammerdam - trees, grass and a pretty lifting bridge, and FREE. Happily we are again on the dog walking route and there is a never-ending parade of cuties going walkies next to the boat. Cuddle-time :)

Today's cycle route.

After a Bakker Bart lunch of sausage rolls, we took a nice long ride around the nature reserve just north of here. A labyrinthe of lakes, waterways, islands and woods with pretty villages dotted around. And all on a lovely sunny afternoon. Such a pleasure!

Giving the bottom a break.

I bet these prime moorings in the village of Nieuwpoort are chock-a-block in season

Until we discovered that part of the route took us on a ferry which was closed for the season and we had to consult the maps and plan a detour around the top of the lake which turned a 26km ride into a 38km one. 

And guess what?  The bike batteries only last 30km, so the last 8km or was pedal power alone. Good for the legs, I told myself. I can have an appelflap when I get back, I told myself.  Two glasses of wine tonight, I told myself. 

Then my kind Skip, who still had a trickle left in his battery, swapped bikes with me. Very gallant, but can I still have the appelflap, I debated. What do you think?

Spotted on the back of a pothole repair truck.

Pollock or Mondrian - can't quite decide ...