26 May 2017

Ommen to Dalfsen

We had an afternoon's bike ride planned - the Castles & Monuments route from Dalsen - so we left Ommen before 9:30 for the short 12 km cruise downriver and were moored up by lunch time. We had checked out the jachthaven on the way up day before yesterday and concluded that it would be a squeeze for us to get into the slots, so we decided to tie up on the wall before the bridge. No facilities and rather a steep flight of stairs to get the bikes up, but we managed.

There is just the one lock and bridge on the 12km stretch between Ommen and Dalfsen.

 

 Approaching Dalfsen from upriver.

We moored up on the wall before the bridge. There is a small yacht harbour on the downriver side of town if one wants facilities - power, water, ablutions etc.

Turned out we chose well as a fairground and concert tent had been set up right next to the yacht harbour and the boaters there would have needed earplugs to get through the night. 

Scenes from today's bike ride:

Huis de Berg

Kasteel Rechteren.
Parts of the castle date to the middle-ages. The curtain wall, moat and defensive elements were removed during the spanish war in the 1500's to prevent Spain acquiring it and using it against the Dutch king. It is still in the hands of the original family.

The weirs on the Vecht have "ladders" for fish to get upriver to spawn.

For a change, mine was not the largest behind.
What we were looking at ...

Intermittently through our ride, we would have a wobble on the bikes as a noisy engine would approach loudly from behind and one of these lovely old ladies would roar past us. Turns out their begoggled drivers with flying scarves were taking part in a vintage car rally. There were close to 30 of them.

From the river, Dalfsen doesn't look like much, but it is actually a nice little town with lots of shops conveniently close to the moorings. The whole Vechtdal area is lovely, with lots of castles and what in the Uk would be called "stately homes" - here they are called "monument estates".  There is a nice 38km bike route taking in most of them which we did in the afternoon. It has been hot lately, but it is always cooler on the bike and much of the route was through woods and forest.

Headed back to Dalfsen, we heard some loud engine revving noises so pulled over to see what a roadside crowd were looking at. 

"It's a tractor pulling competition." translated Skip from a poster. 

Well, yes indeed, but MICRO pullers. 

Unsurprisingly, the audience consisted mostly of blokes :) 

We took a walk over to check out the fair in the evening. We were there kinda imbetween times and there were surprisingly few people about. Some kids on the rides and attractions, and some teenagers losing their money in the shooting galleries etc, but it would all liven up when the concert started at 10pm by which time we were back aboard enjoying the cool evening air. Just as we were about to turn in at 11:30, the fireworks display started just behind the boat and went on for 15 minutes.

The prettiest and most fragrant stall at the fair was this one selling donuts, oliebollen and other yummy fattening things. We only looked.

I wonder who brings storks their bubbies?