There is hardly a country that has such an affinity for the bicycle as the Netherlands. Riding a bike on Texel is the ideal way for us to get around the island.
Texel is a bicycle island. There are about 140 kilometers of bike paths here, plus numerous quiet roads where cycling is fun.
Rent a bike on Texel
If you don’t want to discover the island with your own bike, you can rent a “normal” bike or an e-bike very well. You can also find tandems, mountain bikes, children’s bikes, parent-child tandems …. just everything around the topic of cycling.
Already at the ferry port there is the possibility to get on the bike. In most villages there are bike rentals, so you are sure to find your dream bike.
We rented our bikes in Den Burg from the rental company “Van der Linden Fietsen“. The store was located just a few steps from our hotel and, since the bikes were already reserved for us, it took only a few minutes to pedal. We were very pleased with the quality of the rental bikes. Nothing squeaked or creaked, the bikes were super maintained and looked like new. We would next time still make sure to additionally rent a basket. So we always had a backpack and the photo bag to hang on the body, which sometimes bothered a bit. And, which annoys me in retrospect something, we have been on the road without a helmet with the e-bikes and where I always ride with a helmet in Berlin (even in the forest). Even if the Texler traffic was rather quiet in the fall, safety should come first – so next time with helmet!
Cycling on Texel
We had decided in advance for e-bikes, always with the ulterior motive that on an island the “wind always comes from the front” and we wanted to be on the road with fun and not with effort. For us, this was exactly the right decision, we had fun and were sometimes even faster at the destination than the drivers.
As a cyclist on Texel, you have one advantage over motorists: there are some paths that can only be used by cyclists. These run partly off the car roads and shorten the paths on the island somewhat. You ride between fields and see places on the island that a car driver can only reach with a walk from a parking lot. Yes, and of course you can also just stop once without having to look for a parking space first. We could enjoy so shortly after a small rain shower a beautiful view of the island landscape.
Parking is also an issue that makes cycling on the island very pleasant. Cars need a paid parking ticket or the e-vignette almost everywhere on Texel. As a cyclist, you will find everywhere – and I really mean that – a bike stand for your bike. Whether in front of the brewery, the small farm store of a farm or directly at the harbor, even in front of the dune passages to the beach you can park the bike well. For us as big city kids, who are very reluctant to cycle in the city, a dream.
The bike paths are also a dream. During our time on the island I have not driven a bike path that reminded me of Berlin. Wide, well built and above all without “ground traps”, so driving is fun. Even with oncoming traffic, there was actually always so much space that you effortlessly passed each other. The 140 kilometers of developed bike paths lead through forests, along the dunes and dikes and also along the most important roads. The paths are excellently signposted, but also our cell phone navigation always took us where we wanted to go.
Cycling routes on Texel
The VVV Texel has signposted some special cycling routes. In addition, there are so-called bike nodes at crossroads all over the island. With the help of a bicycle map of the VVV Texel you can use these nodes to plan your route across the island. On this map you will also find locations where you can recharge the batteries for the e-bikes.
The routes that the VVV Texel has additionally signposted on the island offer plenty of riding fun. Whether along the Wadden Sea, over an old dike or along the edge of the dunes, you can look and enjoy, let the island work on you. We have been on the road near Den Burg on a section of a signposted route. It was a great route for cycling on Texel.
For us, Texel is an island that you can discover by bike. The distances are manageable due to the size of the island and you can find everywhere a dreamlike spot for a relaxing break.
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