Today we went for a cycle around Vlieland in the Dutch Friesan islands. Its mostly traffic free as only those who live here are allowed cars; I think about 10 cars must have passed us all day. Its very bike friendly, bikes are allowed to go both ways down 1 way streets and there are miles of well maintained cycle paths built through the sand dunes. We cycled down the Dorpsstraat, the main street and centre for everything with shops, bars and cafes. From here it was on through pine woodland, along polders where there were hundreds of different birds and lots of fluffy chicklets. We cycled as far south as we could go, about 10km up to the military base who use the southern half of the island for practising blowing things up. The western side of the island is one big sand dune, the sand was so soft and lovely but hopeless for cycling in - luckily there was a cycle path
along under the dunes to take us back north, passing through a village with cute thatched cottages.

The clouds had all disappeared by the time we got back to the town and the sun was out making it definately beer o'clock. After that a quick re-victual of veggies (and served by a right grumpy mare in the Coop - if anyone comes here use the Spar instead!!!) and back to the boat to get ready for an early start tomorrow for Borkum in Germany.

We'd like to see more of these islands but with time tight for the Baltic and the area not being friendly to big bottomed girls like Emerald we'll make the most of the weather and push on.