Get Your Clogs On!

From Newcastle to Ijmuiden with the family

I must confess that I’m not as familiar with Holland as I should be – for a travel writer anyway. So it’s something of a surprise to spot a pristine looking stretch of sand as the DFDS ferry approaches IJmuiden.

Harrison and Ella are excited to spot the beach too, backed as it is by picturesque looking beach huts just beyond the sand. The port itself has a bit of an industrial look, but it’s certainly more welcoming than most ports I’ve sailed into.

The children want to make one last tour of the boat before we get our bags together, so we start on the 12th deck – where we enjoyed a moonlit drink last night – and work our way down past the disco, the kids club, the restaurants, the cinema and finally one last tour of the gift shop! It’s the sixth time in the last fifteen hours that we’ve made the same itinerary, because the kids can’t stop running from deck to deck.

So, in some ways I’m happy to get off the ship, despite the fact that we’ve all enjoyed the crossing, because at least there shouldn’t be any stairs on the beach.

What we do find, when we’ve disembarked and driven a mile or so from the port, is a expanse of sand, much larger than what we had spotted from the boat. The beach is also backed by a pretty harbor, where children are crabbing between the boats, and a couple of very large hotels. IJmuiden is clearly a popular spot for the Dutch.

We stroll along the promenade, passing surf shops, sail boats and even land yachts. Then, we stop for drinks at the unpronounceable Strandpaviljoen Timboektoe, which is apparently one of the most popular beach cafés on the Dutch coast. It’s easy to see why, with a beach volleyball court, large trampoline park for the children, and a laid-back vibe reminiscent of an Australian surf club.

It’s a really pleasant area, and I make a mental note to spend a couple of nights here the next time we sail to Holland. For this trip, we need to drive to Harderwijk, a charming city about an hour away from the port of IJmuiden. The old town is full of history and has a historic windmill, built in 1778, which is still used to mill corn today. But what we’ve come to see is the Dolfinarium, for a close encounter with the resident sea lions, dolphins, sharks and rays.

Upon arriving we find another beach club, which is even better than the one at IJmuiden. Who’d have thought that Holland was such a great place for a beach holiday? It helps, of course, that we’re in the middle of a month-long heat wave, but it feels more like we’re in the Dutch Antilles than on the other side of the North Sea. Harrison is delighted to find that he’s old enough to get a one-on-one encounter with the sea lions and the dolphins. I’m equally happy to find that he can have his photograph taken with both for just 25 Euros. Ella however is still too young, but she does get a close encounter of sorts when she strokes the rays and tiny sharks in the touch pool.

Afterwards, we drive south for an hour and a half to the resort of Beekse Bergen, which boasts a huge ‘play and attractions area’ on the beach and a safari park. The former is free to all Eurocamp guests of the holiday park, and the latter is free to guests staying more than three nights. There is plenty of other entertainment on offer during the day and the night and, you guessed it, another beach club, although this one is a lakeside beach.

What I hadn’t realised, until this trip, is that Holland has an excellent reputation when it comes to holiday parks. When searching for this holiday with Little Clogs Holidays we originally thought about the massive indoor and outdoor waterpark at Duinrell, complete with on-site theme park. But we eventually changed our plans to Beekse Bergen because we thought it was more appropriate for Harrison and Ella’s ages (six and three). We know we’ve made the right decision the moment we embark the MS Livingstone and begin the first tour of the safari park.

Ella is mesmerised as we cruise past the huge rhinos grazing on their plains, and she giggles as the monkeys swing on the trees on their islands. But most unexpected of all is when a seal begins to play in front of the ship as we’re disembarking. It’s a real treat and both kids squeal in delight.

It’s been a long day, but the kids have just about enough energy to take the “walking safari” back towards our mobile home. They’re buzzing with excitement and want to take the self-drive safari tomorrow. I’d originally planned for the on-site theme park so we could explore the region the day after; maybe visiting the local Center Parcs (which allows day visitors). I’d also hoped to nip across the border to Antwerp at some point…

I’m outvoted three to one, so the next time we visit Holland with Little Clogs Holidays, I’ll be adding a couple of extra days to the trip.

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