Monday 24th October - Otterloo, Holland

Another frost this morning but the forecast suggested that it was going to be slightly warmer today and still dry and sunny. Definitely a cycling day.

The map that we had been given had no scale so I wasn't quite sure how far I was going to get but a plotted an approximate route and set off. It soon became clear that there are miles of excellent asphalted paths criss-crossing the whole area and, in addition, even more compacted sand tracks that can be used by walker, cyclists and horse riders. After a while I came across a map board showing all of the routes in the area and showing numbered locations where other map boards were located. This made it very easy to plot a route and to ensure that I stayed on track.

On the early part of the cycle I passed a number of rather good sculpture installations, next to the path and in the middle of nowhere. It added interest to the trip and many people were stopping to look at them. I had noticed a number of towers on our walking map but couldn't understand exactly what they were. I had passed a mother and daughter (who seemed to chat continuously whether on riding or not) earlier and they passed me and then turned off the path. There was an observation tower here and they cycled up its spiral ramp to the top. I followed and looked at the view over moorland and the forest that I had cycled through. The orientation table showed me where the Otterloo church tower was just peeping above the trees in the distance.

I was heading for two archaeological features marked on the walking map – 'Celtic fields' and an unidentified site. When I got to the 'Celtic fields' I was amazed to find a very recently built reconstruction of an 800BC farmhouse. Turning left to the other unidentified site, I eventually found the 'Germaanse Put' in a small copse in the middle of a field just of the track. It became clear that this was an 800BC farm and well and that the reconstructed house was based on an excavation on this site. Returning to the Celtic Fields I found that they had been protected and the field boundary banks were still preserved.

In this area I passed a large number of thatched houses, far outnumbering those with tiled roofs. I confess that I expect to see thatched houses in Somerset but I didn't expect to see them in Holland. Although when I thought about it, this area is low lying and has many wet areas, which, like the Somerset Levels, are ideal for growing the withies used in thatching.

Photos: One of the sculpture installations on the cycle path; The observation tower; The reconstructed 800BC farmhouse.