Travelling around The Netherlands

Schiermonnikoog

4/4

Taking a short break

We've been cycling for quite a while and it's time to relax a bit. Of course you get hungry from all that hard work and having a picnick is the ideal thing to do.

There are restaurants on the island, but they are all in or close to the village and some at the beach. So take some food with you on you bicycle trip and find a gorgeous spot to stop, lay down and relax. There are so many bicycle path on the island that a beautiful spot is easy to find. Just put your bike on the side of the path, walk up the dune and down on the other side. You'll have a perfect spot for a picnic! It might not be perfectly flat to sit down, but who cares. It's great to lay down, enjoy the great weather and eat some snacks.

Getting to the island

On the ferry

Schiermonnikoog s in the northern part of The Netherlands, north of the Provinces of Groningen and Friesland. It's only a short distance to get to the island, about 45 minutes with the ferry.

I visited my family in Groningen which made Schiermonnikoog perfect for a daytrip. It is only an hour by car to Lauwersoog (where the ferry departs from) and than the 45 minutes by boat to the island. From Amsterdam it is a bit further to get here, so I would suggest to make it at least a visit of two days.

Cars are not allowed on the island so you have to leave your car at the huge carpark in Lauwersoog. From here you take the ferry to the island. The best way to get around on the island is by bike.

The ferry cost approx. 12 Euro for an adult during the summer months. It is not possible to make reservations for the boat, but there is plenty room on board. On busy days there are extra ferries to bring you to the island.

Buy a combination ticket instead!

combination ticket

Here is a good tip for you: Instead of buying the ticket to the ferry and renting the bike on the island seperately, buy a combined ticket for the boat and the bike at once. The lines for the ferry can be very long and when you have a combined ticket you have to get in a different line waiting for the ferry which is a lot shorter! These combination tickets are only sold by the VVV (Tourist Information Office) and are called "Fiets Geniet Dag". It includes the ferry to and from the island, one day of bicycle rent, and the bus from the boat to the village on the island. The VVV sales point is found in the departure hall at Wagenborg.

When you get at the island you can either choose to select a bike at the harbour or take the bus to the village of Schiermonnikoog and select a bike there. The choice of bikes in the village is much bigger than at the ferry, so I would say that that is the best option. The price for the bus is included in the combination ticket.

Prices 2006
Adults: € 17,60 (off season € 15,95 )
Children (4-11): € 11,90 (off season € 11,10)
65+: € 16,30 (off season € 14,70)