3rd May 2016
Alkmaar to Groet

Our plan was to spend 2 nights in Alkmaar, but meh, so when the day dawned bright and windless we set off early up the canal.  Just outside Alkmaar skip spotted a Media Markt right on the canal so we tied up to some railings and went for a wander around. Bought a stand for the navigation tablet and skip got his tech-browsing fix for the trip. We followed our noses round the corner to a bakery and picked up some goodies for lunch, too.

On a whim, I decided  wanted to look at the sea, so found a speck on the map which I reckoned we could get to on a side canal.

We have no maps of the area so had to play it by ear whether we would be able to get through any bridges or whatever. The entrance off the main channel was somewhat discreet and we almost missed it. It was protected by two lowish bridges so we dropped the bimini and tent to squeeze through.

Squeezing under the bridge.

And what a lovely winding narrow channel on the other side. Charming, although nail-bitingly shallow at times. 

We followed the channel for about 5km all the way until it ended a couple of 100 meters from the sea in a sweet little village called Groet with a boat club where we are now tied up. 

There are lovely grassy moorings all along the bank and they could fit loads of boats in, but we were just a dozen or so. The club provides showers and a washing machine, but not much else. Quite pricey as far as these things go at 17 euros a night with no power or wifi.

Skip putting the bikes ashore.

We put the bikes ashore, natch, and headed over the huge north-sea dijk to the 100m wide beach with its high protective dunes. 

 Love my bike!

Mussel dredger.

                  Are those baguettes under his arm?


As it was such a nice day, there were quite a lot of people out and about enjoying the sunshine, especially in the beach-bar where we indulged in hot chocolate and applegebak for skip and coffee for me. 

There is a bike track all the way on top of the dijk with views of the beach and north sea on one side, and a typical dutch scene of fields of horses and tulips with the odd windmill on the other side. 

This is what keeps Holland dry.

Climbing the dijk.

We cycled a couple of km up to another village called Petten bij de Zee where skip spotted fields of tulips close to the dijk which, of course, we had to go and look at.

I know you´ve seen a lot of tulips, but LOOK at that!

This is such a great spot, and we LOVE IT so we are definitely staying at least one more day. There is a nature reserve just south of the boat club where they have actual,  ..... wait for it ..... hills !!! and we will cycle there tomorrow.

This place is not in any of our guide books (huh?) so don´t mention it, ´kay?