Well we have just returned from a fantastic two weeks at De Molenhoek in Zeeland in the South of Holland. The site is brilliant, the camping fields are big enough to give you room to play on but small enough to make sure you know who all your neighbours are. The pitches are a good size we have a Khyam Ontario 6 and we had loads of room on the pitch. The staff on site all speak really good English and the kids loved the pool and the kids club. At this time of year the site is emptying off as the Dutch and German's who are their main customers are finishing their holidays. The toilets etc are to the high standard you would expect from a Dutch site and were cleaned twice daily. I will do a full review later, but our main shock was that only ONCE in all the times we where cycling round the area - and we cycled everywhere - did we see another British car and that was in a car park of the nearest big town Middelburg - a fantastic place to visit by the way. Yet when we got to Rotterdam to get the ferry home there were loads of other English - where did they go on holiday? coz it wasn't to South Holland.
If anyone is looking for somewhere different to go then this area is brilliant, the cycling facilities are second to none, cycle tracks everywhere; considerate drivers when there are cars around; so considerate I let our 5 year old ride on her own bike on the road to go to the local town riding next to me. And whilst their most regular visitors are Dutch and Germans everyone speaks English and is more than happy to help you. If you are interested in Watersports than the Verse Meer is the place to go, boats, wind surfing, you name it - if you can do it on water you can do it in this area. The area is less then 1 hour from Rotterdam's Europort and yet seems to be somewhere missed out by the English.
We had good weather most of the time and the beaches in Walchern are the best in the Netherlands miles of golden sands and the North Sea isn't that cold.
Liz
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The clever thing in Europe is to find a site without any Dutch! I thought it was an impossibility but I found one in Germany! I should add that I have nothing against the Dutch but as they are perhaps the most prolific campers in Europe its very unusual to find a site with none of them there!
Quote: Originally posted by blatchatter on 16/8/2008
Liz, I presume that there were no Welsh or Scottish either! Sounds ideal
I mean we saw no other GB cars heard no other "english voices" nothing. It was just so odd especially in the bigger towns to not come across any other Brits. And yes it was ideal we had a great time, maybe I shouldn't say any more so that when we go next year it's the same
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Am thinking of visiting the Netherlands for our short holiday next week - it's either Normandy or this site. Don't think weather is going to be good anywhere in North Europe but was it comparable to the UK when you were in the Netherlands ie how much rain did you get!?
Hi Liz
Glad you had a good time in that part of Holland. I remember you asking for info on that area.
I think it is a very underrated part of Holland, yes, the Dutch know about it - of course!! - but when we were there, I think we only saw one other English registered car on one of the sites we were on. The majority of English use the Hull-Rotterdam crossing to get an early start to other countries.
Zeeland is a much quieter part of Holland than some, and as you say, the beaches are excellent. Mind you, wouldn't want too many people discovering how nice it is there, as it wouldn't be so nice and quiet then
As for David's comment about finding a site in Europe without any Dutch: there is a joke: Holland is that small, that at any one time at least 50% of them HAVE to be on holiday, in order to accommodate the other 50% somewhere in Holland!
Hi Ina yes this is definately and underated part of Holland, we had a brilliant holiday. As you told me when I first asked for info the wind/breeze is quite strong at times, but then it's coming straight off the NorthSea and it's very flat so nothing to get in the way, but it was only a problem on 1 day when it was very very strong almost to gale force levels, not that that even spoiled the day just made it difficult to get about on the bikes and put a stop to games with the frisbee - it probably could have ended up miles away! I think your right I shouldn't mention the lack of Brits I might spoil it for us in the future!
Sunseeker I would have to say that the weather we had during the last two weeks was better than the weather has been here in Liverpool, we had 2 evenings of rain - it started about 7.30pm and stopped some time during the night. 2 nights it started at some point after we'd gone to bed and carried on lightly until about 10.30am and then it cleared up. We had one fantastic thunderstorm which lasted about 6 hours started about 2am and finished just after 8am, knocked out the electrics etc. But as soon as the rain stopped and the cloud moved on - due to the breeze weather didn't seem to hang around very long- the sun was hot and we had days of 27/29 degrees the lowest temperature was around 22 that was the day of the wind so the wind chill did make it feel cooler.
But if you are considering this site in particular then on the site map we where on the lower of the two dark green fields (J) in pitch 23, so a bit on the exposed side. If you contact the site early enough you may be able to request a specific pitch and I would recommend 9 13 or 19 as being the biggest and most sheltered on that field. I don't know about the other dark green field or the other touring pitches on L and B. If you do decide to go let me know and I will give you any information I can.
Liz
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Sounds like this area is an undiscovered gem (much like Northumberland) and therefore we don't want too many peop[e to go!! Haven't made our minds up yet - we go to Calais with our tent on Thurs and were planning to get to Normandy/Brittany. However, have been to France twice this year and would like somewhere new I think. Were you in a van and do you think the strong winds would affect campers too much? We did survive the tail end of Hurricane Bonnie in Brittany a few years ago and it wasn't a nice experience according to my husband (we don't know as we were asleep!). Also, we are going with our teenage daughter (under protest from her!) and is this site geared up more for younger children - we are looking at another site nearby which may be smaller. But thanks for putting us on to this area - it is definitely under consideration
Hi sunseeker we where in our Tent a Khyam Ontario 6 with Sun porch. The winds where interesting when in the tent, but our tent and all the pegs stood up to the wind and from the map of the site you can see we were on a most exposed pitch bearing in mind the winds came from the north of the map as you look at it. I don't really know how it would be for teenagers there where lots of Dutch and German teenagers there and pool games etc where on specifically for them in the afternoons with the Entertainment crew. our kids are 9 and 6 so enjoyed the other side of the entertainment crew, kids morning exercises and craft sessions. There are lots of activivites on the site but it may not be the best for a teenager if I am honest. Which other site are you looking at? if your daughter is into any sort of water sports then ther Verse Meer has everything relating to boats, wind surfing, water skiing on of a sort of pully system looked something like a ski lift. You could rent all of this equipment to have a go at a number of places; so that may be up her street.
During the Sumer holidays the Netherlands springs up 1metre
due to most of the locals touring other parts of Europe.
This is true cos I was told this by a Dutch man over a few beers.
I thinks.
Jim.